Iran is seeking to shorten the implementation period of a proposed agreement with the United States from seven days to four, as mediators explore holding a meeting in Turkey before November 4 to prevent a renewed military confrontation, sources told Al Arabiya English on Wednesday.
The latest proposal reportedly includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz, lifting the US naval blockade of Iranian ports and addressing Tehran’s nuclear program, including allowing international inspectors to visit Iranian nuclear facilities.
Diplomatic consultations are underway between Iran and regional mediators over a possible meeting in Turkey aimed at reviving negotiations and averting another round of US and Israeli strikes against Tehran.
Nuclear Dispute and Sanctions Relief
The diplomatic efforts come amid heightened military preparations and disagreements over the sequence of steps required from both sides, particularly the fate of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile, the lifting of the US blockade and the release of frozen Iranian assets.
Qatar is leading mediation efforts, with support from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey, according to an Axios report citing sources familiar with the discussions.
Qatari negotiator Ali al-Thawadi reportedly visited Tehran this week to discuss a possible agreement with Iranian officials on behalf of US President Donald Trump’s administration.
Mediators have proposed ways to bridge the gap between Washington’s demand that Iran give up its stockpile of enriched uranium and Tehran’s insistence that the United States first lift its naval blockade and release frozen Iranian funds.
According to Axios, mediators have also warned Iranian officials that accepting the proposals could help avert large-scale US and Israeli attacks following the US midterm elections on November 3.
One option under discussion involves reviving an agreement reached between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Cairo in September 2025, which established a framework for resuming international inspections of Iranian nuclear facilities. Implementation was suspended after UN sanctions were reimposed on Tehran the following month.
Under the latest proposal, Iran could receive limited sanctions relief allowing it to export oil and access some frozen funds for food and other humanitarian needs. In return, Tehran would permit IAEA inspectors to visit nuclear facilities damaged in previous US and Israeli strikes.
Iranian officials have told mediators they would seek Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei’s approval for the proposals in the coming days, Axios reported.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi has also suggested that reviving the Cairo agreement could provide a framework for restoring inspections of Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Military Preparations Continue
Despite the diplomatic push, the possibility of renewed military action remains.
Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir discussed preparations for potential strikes against Iran with US Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper on Monday, according to Axios.
US and Israeli officials told the outlet that a potential operation could involve a week of intensive strikes targeting Iranian leaders, energy facilities, nuclear sites and other infrastructure.
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.
Trump told Axios on Wednesday that negotiations were taking place through intermediaries, but expressed uncertainty about whether they would succeed. He said Washington wanted to “finish the job,” either through an agreement or by other means.
Araghchi Says Iran Remains in Contact With Mediators
Earlier Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran remained in close contact with mediators to discuss ways to implement its proposed agreement, suggesting the original seven-day plan could be completed in less than a week.
Araghchi has previously said the proposal could allow the Strait of Hormuz to reopen if certain conditions were met.
The strategic waterway, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies passed before the conflict, has experienced severe disruptions since Iran began restricting maritime traffic. The United States has maintained a naval blockade of Iranian ports in response, increasing economic pressure on Tehran.
The latest diplomatic efforts aim to secure an agreement before hostilities resume, with mediators seeking a formula combining nuclear inspections, sanctions relief and the restoration of maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
