Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said regional mediators had made no trips since the U.S. midterm elections, as Tehran maintained a conditional proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key energy route.
Speaking to Iranian state television Nov. 8, Araghchi attributed the pause in travel to a “shock” over the election results. President Donald Trump's Republican Party suffered heavy losses in the vote.
Araghchi separately wrote on X that his “two-day proposal” remained available and urged Washington to accept Iran's demands. He warned of a military response if the United States chose war.
Under a previously outlined two-day plan, U.S. steps would come first, followed by Iran reopening the strait on the second day. An earlier seven-day proposal called for an end to fighting on all fronts, the release of frozen Iranian assets, the lifting of oil sanctions and an end to the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports.
AFP reported two continuing measures affecting shipping: Iranian restrictions in the strait and a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports. It said months of mediation by Qatar, Pakistan and other regional governments had yet to end the war.
Before the latest pause, Reuters reported talks between Iranian negotiators and Qatari mediators in Doha on Oct. 31, citing a person briefed on the discussions. Araghchi said it could take time before conditions allowed mediator travel to resume.
