NEW YORK, September 29, 2026 (DAILYNWZ) — The United States and Iran held separate discussions with mediators on Monday in a renewed effort to end their seven-month war, with talks expected to center on an amended Iranian proposal linking a ceasefire to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
The discussions were indirect, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi meeting mediators in New York while US officials held separate contacts, according to officials from both sides. Iran has said it is still awaiting Washington’s formal response to its latest proposal, despite President Donald Trump saying he had rejected it.
Iran’s seven-day plan calls for an end to hostilities in Iran and Lebanon, the release of frozen Iranian assets, an end to US sanctions on Iranian oil and the lifting of the US blockade on Iranian ports.
In return, Tehran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route for global oil shipments, and resume negotiations over its nuclear program, including Trump’s demand concerning Iran’s highly enriched uranium.
Trump said Saturday that he had rejected the proposal, arguing that Iran was seeking a rapid agreement because of the economic pressure it faces. But he also said Sunday that US negotiators would engage in further talks during the week.
Araqchi said Iran had not received a formal US rejection through the mediators and was waiting for Washington’s definitive position before deciding its next move. “If the Americans claim they are seeking an agreement or a peaceful solution, we have presented that solution,” he said, according to Iran’s state news agency IRNA.
The conflict began in late February with US and Israeli attacks on Iran and has killed thousands of people over seven months, while disrupting global energy markets and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Two previous mediated ceasefire agreements, in April and June, quickly broke down.
The latest diplomatic effort therefore faces the same central problem: Tehran has made reopening the strait conditional on Washington meeting its demands, while the United States is seeking broader commitments from Iran.
“Our conditions are clear, and any move toward reopening the Strait of Hormuz is contingent on these conditions being met,” Araqchi said Sunday, adding that only a negotiated solution could resolve the impasse.