Iran proposes a 7-day plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

According to Al Jazeera, negotiations between the United States and Iran in New York have advanced beyond initial diplomatic contacts to deeper technical consultations. Nourredine Degehel, Al Jazeera’s Tehran bureau chief, stated that technical experts joined follow-up discussions after U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner wrapped up their first round of talks. The Iranian delegation initially failed to secure U.S. government visas but was later granted entry to take part in the negotiations. Qatar has served as the ongoing mediator between Washington and Tehran for several months. Iran is pushing a "7-day plan": if the U.S. lifts its blockade on Iran, Tehran will reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The plan is viewed as an accelerated version of the previously discussed 60-day negotiation process, aimed at pushing both sides to return to direct talks on Iran’s nuclear issue. Current core discussion topics include sanctions relief, relaxed oil export restrictions, unfreezing Iranian assets, and future management arrangements for the Strait of Hormuz—such as whether Iran and Oman can restore a joint management framework under the participation of the U.S. and regional countries, as well as rules governing U.S. warship passage. Degehel added that while differences persist between the two sides, sources in Tehran believe the negotiations are making tangible progress, the talks are ongoing, and Qatar is working to narrow the gap between the two parties. (Jinshi)