According to people familiar with the matter, US and Iranian negotiators are currently discussing a phased agreement, which includes Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz and the US lifting the blockade of Iranian ports. The source, who asked not to be named, said that both countries have refused to sign a similar agreement in recent months and pushed for a breakthrough in negotiations during the UN General Assembly on Thursday. The source added that Qatari officials acted as mediators in this negotiation. The model of this step-by-step agreement is similar to the memorandum of understanding reached between the US and Iran in mid-June. The memorandum led to a fragile cease-fire, but the cease-fire broke down after only a few weeks. A White House official said that President Donald Trump is still willing to talk with Iran, but emphasized that the US does not need negotiations; the continued increase in sanctions and the ongoing maritime blockade have severely damaged the Iranian economy, and the US is in an advantageous position. Since the war began, intermittent negotiations between the US and Iran have broken down many times. The differences mainly focus on the Strait of Hormuz issue and when Iran will be able to obtain billions of dollars of funds frozen by the US. Iranian President Masood Pezzahizyan, who is attending the UN summit in New York, stressed in his speech that as long as the sanctions and US maritime blockade are not lifted, Iran will not allow free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

According to people familiar with the matter, US and Iranian negotiators are currently discussing a phased agreement, which includes Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz and the US lifting the blockade of Iranian ports. The source, who asked not to be named, said that both countries have refused to sign a similar agreement in recent months and pushed for a breakthrough in negotiations during the UN General Assembly on Thursday. The source added that Qatari officials acted as mediators in this negotiation. The model of this step-by-step agreement is similar to the memorandum of understanding reached between the US and Iran in mid-June. The memorandum led to a fragile cease-fire, but the cease-fire broke down after only a few weeks. A White House official said that President Donald Trump is still willing to talk with Iran, but emphasized that the US does not need negotiations; the continued increase in sanctions and the ongoing maritime blockade have severely damaged the Iranian economy, and the US is in an advantageous position. Since the war began, intermittent negotiations between the US and Iran have broken down many times. The differences mainly focus on the Strait of Hormuz issue and when Iran will be able to obtain billions of dollars of funds frozen by the US. Iranian President Masood Pezzahizyan, who is attending the UN summit in New York, stressed in his speech that as long as the sanctions and US maritime blockade are not lifted, Iran will not allow free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.