Iran is seeking to accelerate implementation of a proposed agreement with the United States, with discussions under way over reopening the Strait of Hormuz, lifting the US naval blockade and resuming international inspections of Iranian nuclear facilities.
Sources told Al Arabiya English on Wednesday that regional mediators are exploring a meeting in Turkey before November 4 in an effort to restart negotiations and avert another round of military confrontation.
The latest Iranian proposal aims to reduce the implementation period of the proposed agreement from seven days to four, according to sources cited by Al Arabiya English.
The plan reportedly covers reopening the Strait of Hormuz, lifting the US naval blockade on Iranian ports and addressing concerns over Iran’s nuclear programme, including allowing international inspectors to visit its nuclear facilities.
Consultations between Tehran and regional mediators are continuing over a possible meeting in Turkey, with the broader objective of resuming negotiations and preventing renewed US and Israeli attacks.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said earlier on Wednesday that Tehran remained in close contact with intermediaries to discuss ways to implement its proposed agreement in less than a week.
Araghchi had previously said the seven-day plan could lead to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz if certain conditions were met.
Qatar leads mediation with regional support
Qatar is leading diplomatic efforts with support from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Egypt and Türkiye, according to an Axios report citing sources familiar with the discussions.
Qatari negotiator Ali al-Thawadi visited Tehran this week to hold talks with Iranian officials about a potential agreement with US President Donald Trump’s administration.
Mediators have presented proposals intended to bridge the differences between Washington and Tehran, particularly over the sequence of steps required to secure a deal.
The United States wants Iran to relinquish its stockpile of enriched uranium, while Tehran insists that Washington must first lift its naval blockade and release frozen Iranian assets.
Mediators have warned Iranian officials that accepting the proposals could offer an opportunity to avoid large-scale US and Israeli attacks following the US midterm elections on November 3, Axios reported.
Iranian officials have told mediators they would seek approval from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei for the proposals in the coming days, according to sources cited by Axios.
Nuclear inspections, sanctions relief under discussion
One option being considered involves reviving an agreement reached between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Cairo in September 2025.
The agreement established a framework for international inspectors to resume visits to Iranian nuclear facilities. Its implementation was suspended after the United Nations reimposed sanctions on Tehran the following month.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi has suggested that restoring the Cairo agreement could provide a basis for resuming inspections of Iranian nuclear sites damaged in previous US and Israeli strikes.
Under the latest proposal, Iran could receive limited sanctions relief allowing it to export oil. Some frozen Iranian funds could also be released to purchase food and other humanitarian supplies in exchange for allowing IAEA inspectors to visit the affected nuclear facilities.
The proposed arrangement seeks to address international concerns over Iran’s nuclear programme without requiring Tehran to surrender its enriched uranium stockpile upfront, while offering Washington a way to secure nuclear-related concessions.
However, the details remain under discussion, and the proposed deal depends on both sides agreeing on the sequence and scope of their commitments.
US and Israel prepare for possible renewed strikes
Despite the diplomatic push, the possibility of renewed military action remains a major concern as Washington and Tehran continue to disagree over the terms of a settlement.
US and Israeli officials told Axios that a potential military operation could involve a week of intensive strikes targeting Iranian leaders, energy facilities, nuclear sites and other infrastructure.
The proposed diplomatic meeting in Turkey is being pursued against this backdrop of heightened military preparations and uncertainty over whether negotiations can prevent another escalation.
Saudi Arabia has urged Washington to give diplomacy more time. A US official told Axios that Riyadh had asked Trump not to rush into another war and to allow negotiations to continue.
The regional mediation effort is therefore seeking to secure progress before the possibility of renewed attacks becomes more immediate.
Trump says negotiations under way
Trump told Axios on Wednesday that negotiations with Iran were taking place through intermediaries but expressed uncertainty over whether the discussions would produce an agreement.
The US president said Washington wanted to “finish the job”, either through a deal or by other means.
His remarks came as mediators continued efforts to bring the two sides back to negotiations and narrow their differences over Iran’s nuclear programme, the naval blockade and frozen assets.
For Tehran, the proposed four-day timeline would accelerate the implementation of its plan. For the mediators, the immediate challenge is to secure agreement on the conditions needed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and prevent a renewed US-Israeli military campaign.
Whether a meeting in Turkey takes place before November 4, and whether the sides can agree on the proposed sequence of measures, remains uncertain.
