Iran says Hormuz could reopen within two days under plan worked out with Qatar, but only if the US meets six conditions

Iran says the Strait of Hormuz could fully reopen within two days under a proposal worked out with Qatari mediators, but only if the United States first accepts Tehran's conditions. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi set out the plan in a television interview published on Sunday, November 1. Washington has not agreed, so the waterway stays shut for now and tankers remain under threat.

The new element is speed. Qatar pressed Iran to cut its implementation period to five days, Araghchi said, and the talks then brought it down to two. Iran's earlier plan, on offer since September, ran to seven days, and President Donald Trump has rejected it so far.

The six things Tehran is asking for

The price has not fallen along with the timetable. Araghchi described the proposal as a package and called reopening on these terms the way back to negotiations with Washington.

Iran's condition	What it would mean in practice
Lift sanctions imposed after the Islamabad memorandum	Reverses US measures added since the June understanding collapsed in July
Restore oil waivers	Iran's oil sales would regain the exemptions granted in June
Release frozen funds	Includes money held in Qatar
Reduce US forces in the region	No figure or timetable has been published
Recognise a shipping route discussed with Oman	Other routes through the strait would close, leaving traffic on a path Iran helped design
End the war on all fronts	Tehran specifically names Israeli attacks on Lebanon

The Oman route may be the hardest item for shipowners and Gulf governments. It would give Iran a lasting say over which channel vessels use, rather than a one-off concession that ends when the crisis does.

Rezaei keeps the strait closed until the terms are met

Mohsen Rezaei, Iran's top security official, took a firmer line than the foreign minister. He said the strait stays closed and no negotiations will start until Iran's seven announced conditions are fulfilled, and he warned of a response with new weaponry to any attack. The published lists differ slightly in number and wording, and Iran has not released one agreed text.

Rezaei also confirmed he has read a letter from US Vice President JD Vance, delivered through Qatar, which proposes direct talks led by Vance with the nuclear programme on the agenda. "Their tone has completely changed," he said, while adding that he has not replied. Araghchi called the US approach a positive step and dismissed reports of an imminent meeting as speculation.

Washington's answer so far: no decision

Trump told reporters in Florida on Saturday that talks were "going fine" but that he was not in much of a hurry. He said one or two Iranian sites remain to be dealt with, naming Pickaxe Mountain, an underground site where Iran denies doing nuclear work. Asked if he would order new strikes, he refused to say.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio says no decision has been taken and that the US prefers diplomacy. Reports citing Gulf officials say allies were told to prepare for strikes as early as November 4, the day after the midterm elections. No government has confirmed that date.

Tehran's military message is running in parallel. Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has ordered commanders to prepare an immediate response with no geographic limit to any US or Israeli attack. Iranian state TV reported on Saturday that a ship had hit a mine and caught fire in the strait.

What it means for fuel and flights

Oil traders are pricing the closure rather than the proposal. Brent crude for January delivery settled at $113.43 on Friday, up $2.63, and the expiring December contract closed at $117.64.

• Pakistan: petrol is Rs377.91 a litre and high-speed diesel Rs402.96 until November 2. Prices now follow a rolling seven-day average of world rates, so a deal or a new round of strikes would reach pumps quickly.
• UAE: November pump prices fell, with Special 95 at Dh4.04 a litre, because they reflect earlier months. A sustained rise in crude would show in December's rates.
• Air travel: British Airways plans to resume Dubai flights on November 3, while Singapore Airlines has extended its Dubai suspension until February 28, 2027. Cancellations and delays continue at Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, so check your booking with the airline before travelling.

The next 72 hours

Iran says it is waiting for a US reply through the mediators. Americans vote on Tuesday, November 3, and the first reported date for possible strikes follows a day later. A US answer on sanctions and frozen funds would show whether the two-day clock can start at all.