Could This Qatar Deal Reopen the Strait of Hormuz?: Qatar has proposed a new agreement that would require the United States and Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz within two days. Under the deal, the United States would be expected to lift its naval blockade of Iran and release some of the roughly $8 billion in foreign assets Tehran has frozen in overseas institutions. In exchange, Iran would permit international nuclear inspectors to return to its nuclear facilities that have been damaged during the war, including sites connected to its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
The details were confirmed in Saturday, November 7 reports, which outlined how Tehran would be expected to surrender its enriched uranium or transfer it outside of the country. When the Strait of Hormuz reopens, commercial ships would be required to use a maritime route negotiated between Iran and Oman. Iran and Oman would submit the agreement and the route to the International Maritime Organization.
A U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress aircraft flies in a seven-ship formation during the Hyundai Air and Sea Show at Miami Beach, Florida, May 24, 2025. The flyover represented the Air Force’s total force, integrating active duty, guard, and reserve pilots flying the B-1B Lancer, B-2 Spirit, F-22 Raptor, A-10 Thunderbolt II, B-52H Stratofortress, F-16C Fighting Falcon, and F-15C Eagle aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Bailee A. Darbasie)
U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Colby Delia, 9th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron crew chief, and Airman 1st Class Olivia Ward, 9th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron crew chief, prepare for a B-1B Lancer to take off for a mission at Misawa Air Base, May 9, 2025. BTF missions provide opportunities to train and work with our allies and partners in joint and combined operations and exercises. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Mattison Cole)
The latest proposal is one in a series of attempts to end the fighting, including a 14-point agreement reached in June, known as a memorandum of understanding, whose terms Iran later broke. In September, Iran proposed a seven-day pause, which the United States rejected.
On Friday, Qatar’s emir, Sheik Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump about the ongoing efforts by U.S. allies in the Middle East to negotiate peace with Iran. But the gap between Washington’s demands and Tehran’s remains substantial.
What the Nuclear Inspections Would Require
Under the proposal, Iran would allow inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to visit Iranian nuclear installations that have been damaged by U.S. and Israeli attacks. The inspections would be an opportunity to establish what remains at those facilities. It would also allow the agency to account for Iran’s nuclear material, including any uranium enriched to 60% purity, which is approaching the 90% typically required to build nuclear weapons.
The deal would not, however, require Iran to remove the enriched material from its territory. Instead, negotiators say it may require Iran to “down-blend” the uranium—meaning it would be diluted so its enrichment level is lower.
The new arrangements are based on an agreement reached on September 9, 2025, between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi in Cairo, under which new procedures were intended to be put in place after earlier U.S. military strikes. Cooperation quickly deteriorated, however — a pattern, it seems, when dealing with Iranian leadership. Tehran, however, accused Grossi of failing to adequately condemn U.S. attacks on its nuclear facilities and expressed fear that information may be collected by inspectors and used to identify targets for future Israeli or American strikes. The latest proposal from Qatar, therefore, leaves the disposal of Iran’s nuclear stockpile unresolved, but does give Washington the ability to monitor its nuclear facilities more broadly.
Will the Deal Be Enough?
Iran and the United States have not explicitly rejected the latest proposal from Qatar. On Saturday, Qatari Prime Minister Sheik Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani told Al Jazeera that negotiations had made substantial progress. Despite reports that Washington is preparing a major military escalation, the prime minister confirmed that Washington is still interested in reaching a settlement.
“We cannot wait to reach a perfect agreement; we hope to reach a good agreement,” he said.
The prime minister also revealed during an appearance at Oxford University on Friday that mediators have spent two weeks working directly with members of the Trump administration to prevent the conflict from escalating. Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari also rejected reports on Saturday that claimed the negotiations had collapsed, and said that Doha is still in contact with both governments. The comments followed reports that Qatari mediators had ceased communications and ended their efforts without securing a deal.
On November 5, Iranian Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei also said during a visit to Russia that Tehran refuses to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or engage in negotiations until Washington meets its seven demands.
U.S. Attacks Ship As Negotiations Progress
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) also confirmed on Saturday that American forces had attacked a St. Kitts-flagged commercial cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman after it allegedly attempted to breach the United States’ naval blockade of Iranian ports.
CENTCOM said that the ship had visited an Iranian port and repeatedly ignored warnings before it was struck by an American aircraft. The incident came as Qatar tried to negotiate a new agreement that would require Washington to end that blockade. Meanwhile, Iran continues to strike ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, and recently began to use limpet mines, which are attached directly to the side of ships, against vessels passing through so-called “unauthorized” routes.
About the Author: Jack Buckby
Jack Buckby is a British researcher and analyst specializing in defense and national security, based in New York. His work focuses on military capability, procurement, and strategic competition, and he produces and edits analysis for policy and defense audiences. He brings extensive editorial experience, with a career output spanning over 1,000 articles at National Security Journal, and has previously authored books and papers on extremism and deradicalization.
