Iran Shortens Its Hormuz Reopening Offer to Two Days as Doha Talks Continue Under Threat of New Strikes

November 1, 2026 · Category: World News

The diplomacy over the US-Israeli war on Iran moved forward this weekend, though not by much. Iranian negotiators were in Doha on Sunday for a third straight day of talks with Qatari mediators, an official briefed on the talks told Reuters, according to The Times of Israel. The clearest result so far is about timing. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Al Jazeera that Iran's proposal to partly reopen the Strait of Hormuz could now take effect within two days if its conditions are met, down from the seven days it offered earlier.

That shorter timeline matters because the strait has become Tehran's main source of leverage. Ships that refuse to coordinate with the Persian Gulf Strait Authority, the body Iran set up to control the waterway, are still being attacked. At least four tankers were reported hit on Friday and Saturday, including a liquefied petroleum gas carrier struck by three Iranian projectiles about 40 nautical miles south of Lavan Island, Al Jazeera reported, citing the UK Maritime Trade Operations center. Qatar's national gas company also said one of its vessels was struck in the Gulf, AP reported Sunday.

The talks are happening alongside open threats. President Donald Trump said Saturday that the US had knocked out much of Iran's military but still had one or two targets to "take care of," including a suspected nuclear site known as Pickaxe Mountain, and he has suggested new action could come after Tuesday's US midterm elections, AFP reported via The Japan Times. Trump also said negotiations were "going fine" but that he was "not in that much of a hurry," according to Al Jazeera's live coverage. Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei met military commanders and called for "maximum deterrence," including readiness to respond "without geographical restriction," and Iranian officials have warned that seabed cables and regional infrastructure could become targets if Iran's civilian infrastructure is hit again.

Analysts describe the deadlock as a question of who moves first. Iran wants concessions up front, while Washington insists on progress on Iran's nuclear program before offering them, Negar Mortazavi of the Center for International Policy told Al Jazeera. A shorter Hormuz timeline makes Iran's offer more concrete, but it does not settle that order.

Why it matters

The Strait of Hormuz carries a large share of the world's oil and gas, so a partial reopening, or a new round of strikes after the US vote, would affect energy prices and shipping well beyond the region. This week's talks show both a working channel and a short fuse.

Sources

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