Iran Floats a 7-Day Plan to End War

Iran's foreign minister says the US has been presented with a seven-day plan to end the war. Abbas Araghchi told reporters at the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday that Tehran has sent Washington a proposal, via mediators, that would halt fighting on all fronts—including Lebanon—free at least $12 billion in frozen Iranian assets, lift oil sanctions and a naval blockade, and culminate in reopening the Strait of Hormuz on Day 7, reports the New York Times. Talks on Iran's nuclear program would restart immediately after.

The framework largely mirrors the June memorandum of understanding that collapsed, but on a compressed timetable. Araghchi said it "would be better" if a deal was reached before the midterm elections, while an American official described the indirect talks as "positive and constructive" but said the US would not be rushed. The Washington Post notes that Tehran interpreted the June deal as giving it control over the Strait of Hormuz, which was a dealbreaker for the US. Aragchi said the conditions in the seven-day proposal are "nothing new."

The offer landed as President Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian delivered duelling speeches at the UN, with Trump warning of "annihilation" if no agreement is reached and Pezeshkian insisting Iran will not be coerced. Ali Vaez, the Iran director of the International Crisis Group, says the proposal is a "smart move," the Times reports. "They know it's very tempting for President Trump because it ends an unpopular war and brings down energy prices in the run-up the midterms," Vaez says. "But it also restores a deal that was largely favorable to the Iranians. A compressed timeline to get to the nuclear issue should be appealing to an impatient president."