Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaks to the media during the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly at United Nations headquarters, Friday, Sept. 25, 2026. (AP Photo)
Mediators on Sept. 29 continued to work with Iran and the United States on trying to broker a deal to end the fighting and open the Strait of Hormuz, three regional officials and two U.S. officials told the media, but major hurdles remain between the sides.
The indirect talks come as the conflict, which is entering its eighth month, has caused global economic damage and badly battered Iran. Multiple efforts to allow safe shipping on one of the world’s most crucial waterways have failed.
The officials divulged that the behind-the-scenes efforts continue even after U.S. President Donald Trump initially said he spurned an Iranian proposal to reopen the strait in a week if the U.S. agreed to lift its blockade of Iranian ports, release frozen Iranian assets and waive sanctions on Iranian oil sales, among other conditions.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who stayed in New York after last week’s gathering of world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly, will meet with Qatari mediators on Sept. 28 about the latest discussions, Iranian state media reported Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei as saying.
Despite Trump’s often bellicose rhetoric, he is open to pursuing a non-military resolution to the conflict if one can be achieved, a senior U.S. official said.
But the Trump administration will not reach a deal with Tehran until nuclear issues are addressed, another U.S. official said.
Trump is willing to grant sanctions relief to Iran, along with the release of some frozen funds, for concrete progress on nuclear issues, and while Iran has indicated it is flexible on nuclear issues, the sides are far apart on timing and which side makes the first moves, the official said.
Two of the regional officials speaking to the Associated Press confirmed that mediators are working with both sides on a proposal that would include reopening the strait and lifting the U.S. blockade and then removing sanctions.
According to the draft text being discussed, the strait would reopen in accordance with a separate deal that Iran has been discussing with Oman, on the other side of the strait, and it would include no tolls, something Tehran has pursued.
That deal seeks to temporarily manage shipping traffic on what was seen as an international waterway before the war.
One regional official said the U.S. is seeking Iranian concessions on nuclear issues that include allowing inspectors to enter the country. Under the memorandum of understanding the two sides signed in June that collapsed within days, Iran’s nuclear program was meant to be discussed over a 60-day period.
The U.S. officials say the United States is skeptical about whether Iran can be persuaded to ultimately reach Trump’s conditions for a deal and would be serious about any promises it makes, especially after it broke the interim deal by firing on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. officials feel their position is getting stronger as Tehran feels the impact of sanctions.
