Middle East & North Africa
Iran to reply to US on the “seven-day plan” within days; Trump: a deal “is not something I want”
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on October 8 that Iran is studying the US response to its “seven-day plan” for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and expects to reply within days. At a Texas rally the day before, Donald Trump said a deal is not really something he wants to make.
Iran is examining the US response to the “seven-day plan” for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and expects to reply within the next few days, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Thursday, October 8, according to the state news agency IRNA. The negotiating process continues, he said, with messages being exchanged through mediators.
Iran presented its proposal, which has been called the seven-day plan, and heard the Americans’ views in response, Araghchi said. Tehran is examining them and expects to respond within a few days, he added, as quoted by IRNA.
What the plan provides
Under the plan, which was discussed through Qatar on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September, the United States would take agreed steps during the first four or five days, navigation in the strait would be restored on day six, and negotiations on a final agreement would begin on day seven. Tehran is asking for an end to hostilities, the release of frozen funds, the lifting of restrictions on oil exports and an end to the US naval blockade of its ports. The details were set out in our earlier report.
Trump: “They are willing to offer us anything”
Speaking on Wednesday, October 7, at a campaign rally in San Antonio, Texas, Donald Trump said special envoy Steve Witkoff is doing very well in the negotiations. He added that he does not think a deal is really something he wants to make, but that the Iranians are willing to offer the United States anything in order to stop. The US president said the war has to end very soon.
The remarks come as reports say the White House asked the Pentagon for options for strikes on Iranian targets before the November 3 midterm elections, following the Axios report that the Pentagon told CENTCOM to complete preparations to resume major operations. Hours after Araghchi spoke, Trump wrote on Truth Social that the United States will not attack Iran before the elections. The US–Iran memorandum of understanding reached in June remains unimplemented, and Tehran is keeping the strait restricted until its conditions are met.
