1 p.m. recap: Iran awaits a 'final' US response to reopen Hormuz; Salam discusses cooperation with IMF in Washington
Donald Trump, for his part, said Monday that he had offered Iran neither sanctions relief nor the unfreezing of funds, in response to reports published by Axios.
by Zeina ANTONIOS · L'Orient TodayToday's top story
Iran is once again waiting for a “final” U.S. response to the conditions it set Friday for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tuesday. Indirect discussions on the Middle East war have taken place over the past week, mediated by Qatar on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, between U.S. envoys on one side and Iranian diplomats on the other. The U.S. response is expected to be delivered through Qatari mediators.
As a precondition for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, Iran is demanding a seven-day cease-fire across the entire Middle East, including Lebanon, where its ally Hezbollah is fighting Israeli forces. It is also calling for the unfreezing of overseas assets, the lifting of sanctions on its oil sector, and the end of the U.S. naval blockade against its ports.
U.S. President Donald Trump, for his part, said Monday that he had offered Iran neither sanctions relief nor the unfreezing of funds, responding to reports published by Axios. The outlet had reported that such concessions were being considered in exchange for concrete Iranian proposals on its nuclear program.
Why it matters
U.S. President Donald Trump had already rejected an Iranian proposal Saturday to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days. He then said Sunday that he expected talks with Iran to resume soon.
After seven months of a war that has shaken the global economy, the two sides still have yet to find a diplomatic solution. Before the war, the Strait of Hormuz accounted for one-fifth of global oil and gas flows. The waterway has been at the center of the conflict that began in late February, when the United States and Israel struck Iran. Since then, Iran has claimed control of the strait, while Washington has imposed a blockade on Iranian ports in response. The closure of Hormuz has disrupted international trade and sent fuel prices soaring.
What to watch
- On an official visit to the United States, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam met Monday with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Washington, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. The two parties discussed ongoing negotiations with the International Monetary Fund and cooperation with the World Bank. "Mr. Salam asked the United States for support to make progress on both fronts and to secure the backing needed for the reform and economic recovery program," the Grand Serail said in a statement.
- Saudi Arabia's defense minister has invited Emirati Vice President Mansur bin Zayed to a meeting Tuesday, the first public invitation to a one-on-one meeting since differences emerged between the two allies over Yemen.
- Bassam Tleiss, president of the Federation of Road Transport, is organizing a meeting followed by a joint press conference with Beshara Asmar, head of the General Confederation of Lebanese Workers (CGTL), to announce whether the unions will strike Wednesday amid soaring inflation and rising fuel prices. Contract teachers at the Lebanese University also demonstrated Tuesday, calling for regularized status.
Elsewhere in the news
- Israeli airstrikes and demolitions continued Tuesday morning in southern Lebanon, albeit a lower intensity than those carried out Monday, following the second anniversary of the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
- An explosion caused by "sabotage" on a gas pipeline in eastern Syria has interrupted the supply of gas to power plants, according to the official SANA news agency. The agency said, "A fire broke out Monday night on a gas pipeline between the al-Shoula region and Deir Ezzor after a cutoff valve exploded as a result of sabotage." The incident comes as Syrians took to the streets in mid-September to protest rising fuel prices attributed by authorities to the regional war with Iran.
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