Washington and Tehran are holding indirect talks via Pakistani and Qatari mediators on a seven-day proposal to reopen the Strait, lift naval blockades, and release frozen assets.
Diplomatic efforts to avert a renewed military conflict between the United States and Iran are active through backchannels, according to officials confirming ongoing engagement between the parties. Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari stated during the Global Security Forum in Doha that discussions continue despite challenging conditions on the ground. The negotiation is ongoing. We are seeing engagement from the parties,
Ansari said, warning that unchecked regional escalation risks drawing the wider Middle East into an expansive war.
Pakistan and Qatar Propose $6 Billion Asset Release
Regional intermediaries have advanced a structured diplomatic package to break the economic and security deadlock. Reports indicate that Pakistan and Qatar formulated a proposal that has received initial backing from both Washington and Tehran, though a final binding agreement is unconfirmed. The plan involves utilizing interest generated from approximately $6 billion in frozen Iranian funds held in Qatari banks to provide Tehran with partial financial relief. In exchange, Iran would permit confidential, unannounced inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency at its nuclear facilities.
Pakistani Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir traveled to Tehran to deliver the US-approved proposal directly to Iranian leadership. The initiative builds upon earlier diplomatic maneuvers, including the short-lived Islamabad Understanding struck in June. Officials caution that core disputes over sequencing, financial restrictions, and nuclear monitoring still require delicate negotiation.
Iran Puts Forward Seven-Day Truce Plan for Strait
The maritime corridor of the Strait remains a central bargaining chip in the negotiations. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi explained that Tehran previously put forward a Seven Day Plan
designed to reopen the waterway. Under that framework, the United States was expected to lift its naval blockade of Iranian ports and vessels, waive sanctions on Iranian oil sales, and release frozen assets by the sixth day in exchange for reopening the strait.
Araghchi noted that while Washington indicated preliminary agreement with the framework, American negotiators sought to introduce additional conditions. What we want from the American side is to adhere to all the terms of the memorandum of understanding previously signed with Islamabad,
Araghchi stated during an interview with Iraqi media, emphasizing that talks on other files can only follow full compliance with prior commitments.
Until an agreement or understanding is reached regarding this strait, it will not be open to everyone.
Abbas Araghchi, Iranian Foreign Minister
Tehran Threatens Regional Underwater Cables
The diplomatic track unfolds against a backdrop of military posturing. Senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps figures have threatened to target regional undersea internet cables if Washington initiates new strikes against Iranian infrastructure. Those threats prompted warnings from Qatari officials regarding the vulnerability of vital maritime and communication assets.
Ibrahim Al Hashmi, director of the Media and Communications Department at Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, asserted that regional nations, including the Iranian people, would bear the toll from any disruption to Persian Gulf waters or communication cables. If someone on the Iranian side reflected honestly on the situation, they would ask: who is the biggest victim?
Al Hashmi said during a weekly press briefing in Doha.
Iranian Leadership Expresses Distrust Toward Washington
Despite active mediation by regional capitals, mutual distrust continues to complicate the diplomatic horizon. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed lingering skepticism during his meeting with Pakistan’s military leadership, stating that his nation does not trust the United States and believes that if we negotiate, they will attack us again.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has maintained economic and military pressure, suggesting that Washington retains the option of further military action as deadlines approach.
Brent crude is trading with international observers watching for verification milestones rather than political announcements. Mediators continue to urge adherence to the negotiating table.
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