By Asaye Bankole
Iran has said it could reopen the strategically important Strait of Hormuz within seven days if the United States reduces military pressure and lifts its blockade on Iranian ports.
A senior Iranian official disclosed this to Reuters on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, as tensions between Tehran and Washington continued to escalate.
The official said the United States would first need to publicly declare its willingness to resolve the dispute through diplomacy and agree on a timetable for moving the process forward.
“The US needs to announce that it wants to resolve the issue diplomatically, make that official, and then agree on a timeline for how the process will move forward,” the official said.
According to the official, Iran’s delegation attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York has full authority to resume diplomatic discussions with Washington.
The comments came after Iran’s military central command warned on Sunday that the United States was preparing to resume military operations with support from countries in the region.
Tehran warned that any renewed military action could trigger an Iranian response “without limitations and considerations.”
The senior Iranian official also said that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who travelled from Tehran to New York on Tuesday, was not scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump at the UN headquarters.
However, the official said discussions on a possible agreement to end hostilities could take place in New York through intermediaries.
The official said Iran had already presented a proposal to the United States through mediators on September 16.
“The UN General Assembly is a golden opportunity for the US to return to diplomacy,” the official said, adding that Tehran would welcome renewed negotiations if Washington takes what it considers tangible steps towards diplomacy.
The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial international shipping route connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the wider Arabian Sea.
Any prolonged disruption to traffic through the waterway could have significant implications for regional energy supplies and global oil markets.
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