A new round of indirect talks between the US and Iran is expected on September 28, Axios reports. Qatari mediators continue to relay messages between Washington and Tehran, but the two sides remain far apart on key contentious issues.
The expected talks come after a series of contacts in New York during the UN General Assembly. According to Axios, US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner spoke indirectly with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Mediators moved between the two sides, conveying their proposals.
The first such round in New York lasted about three hours. US President Donald Trump described it as productive, but on September 26 said he had rejected the latest Iranian proposal. “I reject the proposal“, Trump told reporters at the White House.
Iran proposes seven-day plan for Strait of Hormuz
Tehran's proposal is related to the restoration of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said his country could open the waterway within a week if the conditions are met.
These include an end to hostilities in the region, the release of frozen Iranian assets, the lifting of sanctions on Iranian oil and an end to the US naval blockade. According to Araghchi, the plan was conveyed to Washington through Qatar and builds on the memorandum of understanding signed in June.
“There is no way forward except for a negotiated solution based on dignity and justice and guaranteeing the legitimate rights and demands of the Iranian people“, Araghchi told Iranian journalists in New York. He also said that Tehran expects a clear answer from the US side through the mediators.
Tehran rejects assessments of divided power
Araghchi also described as wrong the US claims that there are several centers of power in Iran that make decisions on different issues. According to the Iranian foreign minister, Tehran's position on the negotiations was formulated by the state authorities and conveyed to Washington through the mediators.
The differences between the two countries remain significant. Washington insists on guarantees on the nuclear program and control over Iran's actions in the region, while Tehran emphasizes the cessation of hostilities, the lifting of the blockade and the release of assets.
So far, there is no confirmed agreement, nor data that the American side has accepted Iran's seven-day plan. The next round of indirect talks should show whether Qatar's mediation efforts will lead to a convergence of positions.
Sources: Axios, ABC News