Iran says it handed response to US proposal through Qatari mediators
In short
Iran conveyed a response to a US proposal, with Vedomosti reporting that the answer was passed through Qatari mediators in Doha and concerned the resumption of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's foreign ministry spokesman, Esmail Baghaei, said the American proposals correspond to Washington's earlier positions and concern nuclear issues, and that safe shipping in the strait requires the US to lift all sanctions. A deputy parliament speaker said Iran is negotiating with the United States, while Tehran says it has received the US counterproposal and its top leadership is studying it.
Why it matters
The exchange concerns the Strait of Hormuz, the shipping route named in the documents as the subject of the US proposal, and takes place amid a war between the United States and Iran that Iranian officials say they want to end through guarantees rather than continued fighting. The documents give no indication of how close the two sides are to an agreement: the terms of both the US proposal and of Iran's response are not stated.
Key facts
- Iran handed the United States a response to a proposal put forward by Washington, TASS and RIA Novosti reported. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Iran's foreign ministry said Tehran set out its point of view on the US response to the proposals, according to RIA Novosti. [ 2 ]
- Vedomosti reported that the response was passed through Qatari mediators in Doha and concerned a US proposal to resume shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. [ 4 ]
- Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said the American proposals generally correspond to previous US positions and concern nuclear issues; safe shipping in the strait would require Washington to lift all sanctions, including those imposed after the June memorandum of understanding, he said. [ 4 ]
- A deputy speaker of Iran's parliament said Iran is negotiating with the United States. [ 3 ]
- On 1 October, Deputy Foreign Minister Saib Khatibzade said Iran had handed the US a seven-day settlement plan and wanted objective guarantees of an end to the war, Vedomosti reported. [ 4 ]
- US President Donald Trump said the same day that the war in Iran would end very soon, either through a US strike or through a deal, according to Vedomosti. [ 4 ]
- Tehran says it has received the US response to the proposal on resuming operations at the Strait of Hormuz and that the country's top leadership is studying the counterproposal, Vedomosti reported. [ 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- What the US proposal and Iran's response contain None of the documents sets out the terms; Vedomosti describes the proposal's subject differently in its own account and in the quote from the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman it cites.
- Whether the exchange concerns the resumption of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz or nuclear questions Vedomosti links the US proposal to resuming shipping in the strait while quoting spokesman Esmail Baghaei as saying the American proposals concern nuclear issues; this is a single outlet and its descriptions differ.
- Whether Iran handed over a response or received one Vedomosti reports both that Iran conveyed its answer through Qatari mediators and that Tehran received the US response to the Hormuz proposal and its leadership is studying a counterproposal; no other document covers this detail.
- Whether the talks are direct or mediated A deputy parliament speaker said Iran is negotiating with the United States, while Vedomosti reported the exchange went through Qatari mediators in Doha; the two accounts are not reconciled.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- TASS reports Iran has handed the United States a response to a proposal it put forward. [ 1 ]
- RIA Novosti quotes Iran's foreign ministry as saying Tehran has conveyed its point of view on the US response to the proposals. [ 2 ]
- RIA Novosti reports a deputy speaker of Iran's parliament saying Iran is negotiating with the United States. [ 3 ]
- Vedomosti, citing foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei, reports Iran passed its response through Qatari mediators in Doha. [ 4 ]