US and Iranian officials engaged in separate discussions with mediators on September 28 in an effort to revive talks aimed at ending the ongoing conflict that has persisted for seven months. Sources close to the negotiations indicated that future discussions would likely focus on a revised version of a seven-day ceasefire plan Iran presented last week during the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The conflict began in late February following US and Israeli military actions targeting Iran, resulting in thousands of casualties and significant disruptions to global markets, particularly affecting key oil shipping routes. Both the United States and Iran have previously agreed to ceasefires in mediated negotiations held in April and June, but those agreements quickly dissolved.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who remained in New York after the General Assembly, stated that Iran expects a formal response from the US regarding its ceasefire proposal and conditions for resuming maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic chokepoint for global oil transportation. According to the Iranian state news agency IRNA, Araghchi emphasized that Iran has put forth what it considers a viable peaceful solution, urging Washington to respond accordingly.
While US President Donald Trump confirmed that officials had communicated with mediators on September 28, he declined to provide further details. Trump's administration has publicly rejected Iran’s seven-day plan, characterizing Tehran's proposal as motivated by economic pressures due to sanctions and blockades.
Iran’s ceasefire outline calls for an end to hostilities within Iran and Lebanon, the unfreezing of billions of dollars in Iranian assets, the lifting of sanctions on Iranian oil, and the removal of the US blockade affecting Iranian ports. Following these conditions, Iran proposes reopening the Strait of Hormuz and resuming negotiations on its nuclear program, which includes addressing Trump’s demands to control or eliminate Iran’s highly enriched uranium stockpile.
Despite the initial US rejection, Trump told Axios on September 27 that he anticipated further engagement by American negotiators during the week. Araghchi noted that mediators had not formally communicated a definitive US rejection and that Iran awaits Washington’s firm position before deciding on subsequent steps. He reiterated that Iran’s conditions are explicit and that reopening the Strait of Hormuz hinges on those terms being met, underscoring that only a negotiated agreement can resolve the ongoing impasse.