Iran Says Hormuz Reopening Proposal Remains Open as Talks Stall
Iran’s foreign minister said on October 18 that Tehran’s proposal for reopening the Strait of Hormuz remained available to the United States. The statement described an offer still under discussion, rather than an agreement to restore shipping.
Reuters reported that Abbas Araqchi made the remarks in Baghdad, where he was attending an Organisation of Islamic Cooperation meeting. Iran had submitted its proposal in mid-September after an interim ceasefire collapsed and was reviewing American comments.
The demands included ending restrictions on Iranian ports, lifting sanctions on oil exports and stopping hostilities across regional fronts. Araqchi said acceptance could permit reopening within six days, followed by talks the next day. That timetable was conditional and represented Iran’s position.
The negotiations also faced disagreement over sequencing. Washington wanted Iran’s nuclear programme addressed from the outset, while Tehran wanted initial talks to concentrate on reopening the waterway and restoring security.
Why the waterway matters
Historical data from the US Energy Information Administration show the scale of what is at stake. In 2024, oil passing through Hormuz averaged about 20 million barrels a day, equivalent to roughly one-fifth of global petroleum-liquids consumption. Around one-fifth of worldwide liquefied natural gas trade also used the route that year, mainly from Qatar.
These are pre-crisis reference figures, not a measurement of traffic on October 18. The strait lies between Iran and Oman and connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.
The EIA’s June 2025 analysis found that most crude oil and condensate moving through Hormuz went to Asian markets. China, India, Japan and South Korea together accounted for 69 per cent of those flows in 2024. It also explained that alternative pipelines could bypass only part of the traffic; many shipments lacked a practical substitute route.
What the announcement establishes
The foreign minister’s comments kept a diplomatic proposal in public view, but did not establish that its conditions had been accepted. The distinction matters for interpreting headlines: a stated willingness to reopen a shipping lane is different from an agreed timetable and actual vessel movements.
The relevant next steps would be an agreed set of terms and evidence of implementation. Until then, the six-day schedule remains a conditional claim rather than a confirmed reopening date.
Sources
Iran’s foreign minister said on October 18 that Tehran’s proposal for reopening the Strait of Hormuz remained available to the United States. The statement described an offer still under discussion, rather than an agreement to restore shipping.
Reuters reported that Abbas Araqchi made the remarks in Baghdad, where he was attending an Organisation of Islamic Cooperation meeting. Iran had submitted its proposal in mid-September after an interim ceasefire collapsed and was reviewing American comments.
The demands included ending restrictions on Iranian ports, lifting sanctions on oil exports and stopping hostilities across regional fronts. Araqchi said acceptance could permit reopening within six days, followed by talks the next day. That timetable was conditional and represented Iran’s position.
The negotiations also faced disagreement over sequencing. Washington wanted Iran’s nuclear programme addressed from the outset, while Tehran wanted initial talks to concentrate on reopening the waterway and restoring security.
Why the waterway matters
Historical data from the US Energy Information Administration show the scale of what is at stake. In 2024, oil passing through Hormuz averaged about 20 million barrels a day, equivalent to roughly one-fifth of global petroleum-liquids consumption. Around one-fifth of worldwide liquefied natural gas trade also used the route that year, mainly from Qatar.
These are pre-crisis reference figures, not a measurement of traffic on October 18. The strait lies between Iran and Oman and connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.
The EIA’s June 2025 analysis found that most crude oil and condensate moving through Hormuz went to Asian markets. China, India, Japan and South Korea together accounted for 69 per cent of those flows in 2024. It also explained that alternative pipelines could bypass only part of the traffic; many shipments lacked a practical substitute route.
The statement did not announce American acceptance or a confirmed reopening date.
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