Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (C) listens as President of Iran Masoud Pezeshkian speaks during the General Debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly at United Nations Headquarters in New York, New York, Sept. 23 2026. EPA/SARAH YENESEL
The United States and Iran have resumed indirect contacts through Qatari mediators, with Tehran saying it expects Washington’s formal response as early as Sept. 29 to proposals aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz and reviving negotiations.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Qatari mediators in New York on Sept. 28, while U.S. officials held separate contacts with the mediators. No face-to-face meeting between the two sides took place.
“They had ideas, and we discussed how a way could be found to meet Iran’s conditions and how those conditions could be fulfilled,” Araghchi told Iranian reporters.
He said the proposals would now be presented to the U.S. side and Washington’s response relayed back to Tehran.
“I hope this will happen by tomorrow,” he said before leaving New York for Tehran.
The renewed contacts came after U.S. President Donald Trump said he had rejected Iran’s proposal for a seven-day process to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Under Tehran’s plan, Washington would take steps including ending its naval blockade, lifting oil sanctions and releasing frozen Iranian assets. Iran would then reopen the strait and resume negotiations on its nuclear program and a broader agreement.
Despite Trump’s rejection, mediated contacts have continued.
A U.S. official described the discussions as positive and constructive but said there would be no agreement unless Iran’s nuclear program was addressed.
Trump on Sept. 28 also denied a report that his administration was prepared to offer sanctions relief and the release of frozen Iranian funds in exchange for nuclear concessions.
“This is untrue. I offered them NOTHING!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, meanwhile, argued that Washington’s economic pressure was pushing Tehran toward negotiations.
Bessent told Fox News that about 15 million barrels of Iranian oil remained in transit, largely to China, and claimed Iran could have “nothing left to trade” within roughly two weeks once those shipments were completed.
He said the pressure campaign was intended to ensure that Tehran complied with the terms of any future agreement.
