Mediator Qatar says it held talks with Iran on conditions for dialogue

Qatar's top diplomat, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, held talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Friday to discuss de-escalation and conditions for dialogue. The meeting, held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, comes as Iran pushes a new proposal to end hostilities with the US and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

What did Qatar and Iran discuss in New York?

Sheikh Mohammed and Pezeshkian met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, where Pezeshkian hosted him at his residence.

The two reviewed regional developments and discussed efforts to de-escalate tensions and create conditions for renewed dialogue, according to Qatar's foreign ministry.

What is Iran's proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz?

Iran has submitted a proposal to the United States to end their conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told media in New York. Japan's Kyodo news agency first reported the plan, citing a senior Iranian official, though Iranian media have denied the report and Tehran has not clarified its position. Araghchi said the strait could reopen within a week if certain conditions are met, alongside the start of talks.

What are Iran's conditions for a ceasefire?

According to Araghchi, as quoted by the New York Times, the plan calls for a seven-day halt to all hostilities across the Middle East, including in Lebanon. It also demands the release of at least $12 billion in frozen Iranian assets, the lifting of sanctions on Iranian oil, and an end to the US naval blockade of Iran. The Strait of Hormuz would reopen on the seventh day of the truce. Hossein Mohebi, a spokesman for Iran's Revolutionary Guards, told AFP on Tuesday that ending hostilities in Yemen is also among Tehran's demands.

How has the US responded to Iran's proposal?

Araghchi met Tuesday with Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump's envoy, and said he was waiting for a US response to the plan. He maintained that China supports the proposal, a claim made as Chinese President Xi Jinping visits the United States this week for talks with Trump.

Why did the US-Iran ceasefire deal collapse in June?

The US and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding in June aimed at ending the war, reopening the strait and launching talks on Iran's nuclear program. The deal broke down shortly afterwards when Iran fired on commercial ships in Hormuz that it accused of deviating from their approved route. Iran requires ships to obtain authorization before passage, citing security and sovereignty reasons, and regularly targets vessels that refuse to comply. The United States has sporadically bombed Iranian coastal areas in retaliation.