Key facts
- US President Donald Trump stated that mediators for the US and Iran held 'very good' talks.
- US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff reported "lengthy talks" with the Iranian delegation.
- Iran submitted terms for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, including lifting a naval blockade and releasing frozen assets.
- Iran's demands include the release of $24 billion in frozen assets and a ceasefire in Yemen.
- Qatar facilitated the meeting between US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that mediators for the US and Iran held "very good" and "productive" talks, with another meeting scheduled soon. On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. Araghchi submitted Iran's terms for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which include the immediate lifting of a naval blockade, the release of frozen Iranian assets, and an end to the war across all 'resistance' fronts, according to Iranian state media. A senior Iranian official suggested that Iran's demands have hardened, seeking the upfront release of $24 billion in frozen assets and the lifting of Saudi Arabia’s blockade on Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen as part of a ceasefire. Qatar took the lead among Gulf states in facilitating the meeting between Witkoff and Araghchi, with multiple Gulf officials telling Middle East Eye that their countries were trying to arrange a "bump-in" between Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.