After Donald Trump rejected a seven-day ceasefire proposal, mediators asked Iran to make concessions on its nuclear program to restart ceasefire talks with the United States. The initiative is part of a long-running effort to persuade Tehran to negotiate on the nuclear issue.
Iran’s earlier proposal called for the Strait of Hormuz to be reopened and the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports to end. After Trump rejected the proposal, mediators asked Tehran to take steps regarding its nuclear program.
Tehran says it remains open to diplomacy
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said his country remained open to negotiations but would respond to any new military intervention.
"We are fully prepared for the war to resume. In the face of new aggression, we will stand firm, even if it is an apocalyptic war. At the same time, we are ready for diplomacy. The choice belongs to President Trump."
Mediators in the Gulf said Iran had made no concessions since Trump rejected the ceasefire proposal. Gulf officials said Tehran wanted Washington to make concessions first for the negotiations to move forward.
Key points of the agreement
Qatar’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, said his country’s mediation efforts, which carried messages between Washington and Tehran, were struggling to resolve the conflict. Al Thani described the conflict as "very complex."
Iran wants Washington to return to the agreement reached in June. The agreement called for the Strait of Hormuz to be reopened first, followed by the start of nuclear negotiations. In return, it planned for sanctions to be eased, billions of dollars in Iranian funds held abroad to be released and the U.S. blockade to end.
U.S. officials said Trump no longer wanted to return to the agreement. As the Washington administration tightens sanctions, it is also maintaining the blockade of Iranian ports.
A senior Middle Eastern official involved in the talks said Iran could compromise on its nuclear program. The official said Tehran would seek clear guarantees that Israel would not launch another attack after any agreement with the United States.
According to Anadolu Agency, the comprehensive draft the mediators are working on would see the US end its naval blockade of Iran and lift sanctions, while Iran would drop its demand for transit fees through the strait. Washington, for its part, wants nuclear concessions from Tehran, including access for nuclear inspectors. Officials said the new offer resembles the memorandum signed in June 2026, which collapsed within days and envisaged addressing the nuclear file within 60 days, and that limited progress was made over the weekend.
