Iran offers to reopen Strait of Hormuz within 7 days if US eases pressure

Iran has offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days in exchange for initial US steps to ease military pressure, according to a senior Iranian government official who spoke to Japan's Kyodo news agency. The proposal has been conveyed to the American side through mediators and aims to resume negotiations toward a permanent end to hostilities. The official said Tehran seeks US signals of readiness to return to talks, including lifting the naval blockade on Iranian ports and halting military operations linked to the strait. The initiative was approved by Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and the Supreme National Security Council, which set an August 16 deadline for Washington to lift the blockade within 45 days. The diplomatic move comes as restrictions on ports have hit Iran's crude oil exports, a key revenue source, while commercial shipping through the strait remains far below pre-war levels. The official ruled out a meeting between Presidents Masoud Pezeshkian and Donald Trump at the UN General Assembly but said chances for an agreement remain.