Iran says choice on reopening Hormuz ‘rests with the United States’ after deal offer

The choice to reopen the Strait of Hormuz “rests with the United States,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Friday, indicating shipping through the critical waterway could resume within days once a deal is reached.

“If the necessary conditions are met, the strait can be reopened, and normal maritime passage restored within seven days,” Araghchi told reporters. “The choice now rests with the United States.”

He said a “concrete seven-day plan” had been conveyed to the U.S. through Qatar, after indirect talks through mediators were held on the sidelines of this week’s United Nations General Assembly in New York.

“The seven day timeline starts as soon as the United States accepts this plan,” he added. “If they accept this plan tomorrow, the seven days will start from tomorrow. There are certain actions to be taken by the United States. And we believe that these actions can be taken in four or five days.”

Iran offers new proposal to reopen Strait of Hormuz

Araghchi said that the actions required by the U.S. in their proposal were already agreed to in the June Memorandum of Understanding between the two countries that laid out plans for a temporary ceasefire. That agreement, signed in…

Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/business