Iran has proposed reopening the Strait of Hormuz on the sixth day of a seven-day diplomatic plan, with nuclear negotiations set to begin on the seventh, but the United States has rejected the proposal, citing Iran's demand for sanctions relief and access to frozen assets before substantive talks could begin. The standoff marks a sharp escalation in the diplomatic deadlock between Washington and Tehran over one of the world's most strategically critical waterways.

What Iran's Seven-Day Plan Entails

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi outlined the proposal publicly, stating that Tehran was prepared to reopen the strait provided Washington met specific preconditions — ending the conflict, lifting its blockade, releasing frozen Iranian assets, and permitting Iran to resume oil exports.

'Our proposal is very clear. We are ready to open the Strait if certain things are done by the US,' Araghchi said on NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday. He added: 'We want our moneys, our assets, which are illegally frozen, to be released. We want, you know, to be able to sell our oil.'

Araghchi said Iran believed these steps could be completed within four or five days, after which the strait would reopen on day six and broader negotiations would commence on day seven. He maintained that Iran was still awaiting an official response through mediators despite President Donald Trump's public rejection on Saturday.

Washington's Swift Rejection

Trump dismissed the offer as a sign of Iranian weakness rather than genuine diplomacy. 'They want to make a deal where they open the strait immediately because they're losing so badly,' Trump said. 'But we're winning tremendously. We have total control of the Hormuz Strait.'

US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz elaborated on Washington's objections, telling CNN's State of the Union that Iran was demanding everything up front before any substantive talks began. 'They were asking for everything up front with a promise that they would then talk,' Waltz said.

Waltz also accused Iran of violating an earlier memorandum of understanding by attacking international shipping — a charge Tehran disputes, with Iran arguing that Washington had itself breached prior agreements. 'The president's just not confident that the Iranians are coming in good faith and that we will truly negotiate the end of their nuclear programme,' Waltz said.

Tehran's Position on Nuclear Talks

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian separately addressed the standoff on CBS's Face the Nation, indicating that Tehran was open to proceeding in stages under a framework based on the earlier memorandum. 'Obviously, we will abide by whatever we commit to,' Pezeshkian said.

Pezeshkian also signalled that Iran could negotiate limits and inspections for its nuclear programme within existing frameworks, while blaming the United States and Israel for attacking Iranian nuclear facilities. 'Within the framework of the NPT and the other existing frameworks, all of these issues are matters that can be agreed upon,' he said.

Military Posture and the Diplomatic Window

Despite the diplomatic overtures, Araghchi struck a dual-track tone, warning that Iran remained militarily prepared even as it kept the diplomatic channel open. 'We are fully prepared for the war to be resumed,' he said. 'But at the same time, we are ready, we stand ready for diplomacy. It is up to President Trump to choose.'

This comes amid heightened global anxiety over energy supply chains, with the Strait of Hormuz serving as the passage for roughly 20% of the world's oil trade. The impasse leaves both sides publicly committed to their positions while mediators reportedly continue back-channel efforts to bridge the gap. Whether a revised framework can emerge before the situation further deteriorates remains the defining question of the coming days.