Day 211 | Iran offers US 7-day plan for Hormuz reopening

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Read more: Day 212 | Trump rejects 7-day plan to reopen Hormuz

Iraq’s government spokesperson Haider al-Aboudi said Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi has reached an understanding with the United States to continue shipments of cash dollars to Iraq.

Speaking to the Iraqi News Agency, al-Aboudi said a shipment is expected to arrive in the coming days, with the dollars intended to meet “legitimate foreign currency needs.”

He said the understanding follows progress in strengthening oversight of dollar distribution, regulating its use, expanding electronic payments and gradually moving toward a digital economy.

The US paused cash-dollar shipments to Iraq in April, with reports linking the move to pressure over Iran-backed armed groups. Some physical shipments resumed in July.

Iraq’s oil revenues are deposited in an account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, with the US system providing Washington significant oversight over dollar transfers to Baghdad.

US President Donald Trump said he does not want to accept Iran’s proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, calling the offer “unacceptable.”

Speaking outside the White House before departing for Tennessee, Trump said Tehran was seeking an agreement because it was facing severe financial losses.

“They got themselves into a bind,” Trump said, claiming the US had established “the greatest blockade in military history” around the strait.

Trump also said large quantities of oil pass through the waterway and claimed that 29 ships crossed the Strait of Hormuz overnight.

US negotiators have told Iran that Tehran does not control the Strait of Hormuz and cannot impose conditions regarding the strategic waterway, according to US officials cited by Axios.

The officials said about 60 million barrels of oil crossed the Strait of Hormuz over the past 72 hours.

They also said constructive and positive talks between Washington and Tehran are continuing through intermediaries, as both sides explore ways to address the ongoing dispute over the strait.

The Iraqi government is holding talks with the United States to exempt some Iraqi airports from restrictions affecting Iranian airlines, according to a statement shared by Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s media office.

The proposed exemptions would allow flights for humanitarian purposes, education, religious pilgrimages and medical treatment to resume.

Four Iraqi airports suspended flights to and from Iran on Friday, days after the US announced new aviation sanctions targeting companies worldwide that do business with Iranian airlines.

The Iraqi government also called on all parties to pursue dialogue and negotiations to help resolve the ongoing regional crisis and conflicts.

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretariat has denied reports that Tehran is planning a military response to recent restrictions on Iranian air traffic.

The council said negotiations with the countries involved to lift the restrictions are “seriously” underway.

It added that Iran has several non-military options to respond reciprocally and could apply some of them to certain airports if necessary.

Iraq’s deputy parliament speaker has criticized a decision to ban Iranian civilian flights from operating at Iraqi airports, calling it rushed, poorly considered, and unconstitutional.

The deputy speaker said lawmakers are prepared to convene an extraordinary session if the decision is not reversed.

The remarks come amid growing regional restrictions on Iranian aviation following US sanctions targeting Iran’s airline sector.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Saturday that Iran’s new proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz was coordinated with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.

In an interview with CBS, carried by Iran’s official IRNA news agency, Pezeshkian said the plan would be implemented “without any problems” if the United States agrees to it.

“We coordinated with the Leader of the Revolution,” Pezeshkian said, referring to Khamenei.

“If the United States agrees to the Iranian plan and fulfills its commitments, we will do the same, and there will be no problem in this regard,” he added.

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said Saturday that Tehran “no longer trusts talks with Washington” due to its “repeated attacks and sanctions following every negotiation”

Pezeshkian, in statements to Al Jazeera, added that Qatar and Pakistan are currently mediating between Iran and the US.

Iran has warned that any new US military action against the country would be a “mistake” and trigger attacks on American interests across the region, as tensions between Washington and Tehran remain high.

The warning was issued by Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, the country’s central military command, in a statement carried by Iranian state media.

The command said that if the United States took military action against Iran, "all" US positions in the region would be targeted.

“The region is now at one of its most sensitive security junctures,” the statement added.

Diplomacy remains active

The warning comes amid competing military and diplomatic developments.

Recently, Tehran has linked any reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to a reduction in US military pressure and the lifting of a US blockade on Iranian ports.

Iran has also conveyed conditions for renewed negotiations through mediators.

Indirect US-Iran talks also took place through mediators during the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week.

Washington and Tehran have continued to differ over the conditions for ending hostilities, while Qatar and other countries have pursued diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian presented Swiss President Guy Parmelin with a booklet titled “American Aid to the Iranian People” during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly.

The symbolic gift, handed over after Pezeshkian’s address to the assembly, contains photographs and documentation that Iranian officials say depict US attacks on civilian targets, casualties, sanctions impacts, military strikes, and the killings of Iranian scientists and commanders.

Iranian state media described the booklet as intended to highlight what Tehran calls false claims of assistance by the United States and its allies, framing the title ironically against the backdrop of recent hostilities.

Videos circulated by Iranian agencies showed Pezeshkian handing the volume to Parmelin during their talks in New York.

The meeting was Pezeshkian’s first bilateral engagement following his UN speech, in which he accused the United States and ‘Israel’ of aggression, including attacks on infrastructure and civilian sites, and asserted that Iran had acted in self-defense.

The two leaders discussed regional and international developments, the need to strengthen diplomatic mechanisms to reduce tensions, and ways Switzerland might contribute to dialogue and restoring trust between Iran and the United States.

Pezeshkian outlined Tehran’s position that recent military actions violated international law and humanitarian standards, while expressing Iran’s readiness to expand relations based on mutual respect and resolve disputes through diplomacy rather than force.

Parmelin, for his part, highlighted the longstanding and good relations between Switzerland and Iran.

He recalled Switzerland’s historical role in representing US interests in Iran and its involvement in past diplomatic initiatives.

The Swiss president stressed the importance of maintaining dialogue and using diplomatic channels to manage regional crises, expressing concern over the current situation and Switzerland’s willingness to help reduce tensions and facilitate talks.

In a social media post, Parmelin wrote that during the conversation with the Iranian president, “I reaffirmed our commitment to dialogue and the restoration of trust.”

A Swiss government spokesperson later confirmed that Parmelin received the book but took no position on it at the time, treating it as a standard official gift and taking it back to Bern.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif says at the UN that further attacks on the Islamic holy city of Mecca would be a "red line" for Islamabad.

"We once again condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the recent deplorable attacks by the Houthis against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," Sharif says at the UN's gathering of world leaders in New York.

The Iraqi government said Saturday it was holding talks with the United States to secure an exemption from the ban on Iranian airlines, which has disrupted travel for patients, students and pilgrims.

All Iraqi airports enforced the ban this week, resulting in major disruption at the airport of the holy city of Najaf, the main destination for Iranian flights to Iraq.

“The Iraqi government is holding direct talks with the American side to exempt certain Iraqi airports from these measures,” the prime minister’s media office said.

An exemption would allow flights to resume “for humanitarian reasons, including medical treatment, education, religious visits, and for the interest of civilians,” it added.

Iranian airlines mainly carry Iraqi Shia pilgrims to Iran’s holy cities or Iranians visiting sacred sites in Iraq.

The flights also serve Iraqi students studying in Iran and patients seeking medical treatment there.

Several Iraqis told AFP that enforcing the US sanctions has left them scrambling for solutions, with some fearing they would lose access to treatment in Iran or others stranded there with little choice but to take the more than 12-hour journey home by land.

Iraq has joined several countries including the United Arab Emirates in enforcing the US ban, after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Iranian airlines would be “shut down” on Wednesday.

Relations between between Iraq and neighbouring Iran, both Shia-majority countries, have long been close, due to religious kinship as well as political and economic interests.

Iraqi airlines stopped flying to Iran at the start of the Middle East war in February.

Volunteers and members of Iran's Basij paramilitary force take part in the government's Jan-Fada, which means "Those Willing to Sacrifice Their Lives," motorcycle rally in Tehran.

• Trump rejected Iran's 7-day ceasefire offer, privately planning to resume air strikes after the US midterms.
• Washington refused to lift its naval blockade, using economic pressure to force further Iranian concessions.
• Indirect negotiations proceed via Qatar, though US progress securing tanker transit through Hormuz reduced White House urgency for a deal.

US President Donald Trump has rejected a proposed seven-day ceasefire offer submitted by Iran, The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday, citing US officials.

According to the officials, US President Trump expressed skepticism during private sessions regarding Iran's willingness to meet his demands.

Trump told aides that he expects the bombing of Iran to resume following the upcoming US midterm elections.

US maintains naval blockade 

The Wall Street Journal reported that the United States has informed Iranian representatives and third-party mediators that Trump does not intend to lift the ongoing naval blockade.

US officials assess that sustained economic pressure will ultimately force Tehran to sign an agreement.

Concurrently, American efforts to secure tanker transit through the strategic Strait of Hormuz have diminished the immediate urgency for Washington to finalize a deal with Tehran.

Indirect negotiations continue 

Despite the rejection of the temporary ceasefire, Washington and Tehran remain engaged in indirect negotiations through third-party intermediaries, with discussions encompassing the nuclear file.

Officials noted that Trump’s stance could evolve as the war continues, adding that the trajectory of US policy may be influenced by the outcome of the midterm elections.

• Pezeshkian cited deep distrust toward Washington, but confirmed Iran will honor its plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz if accepted. Nuclear
• He pledged to permit UN nuclear inspectors into Iran, reiterating that building nuclear weapons remains religiously forbidden.
• Speaking as a physician, Pezeshkian affirmed Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is fully healthy following recovery.
• He rejected claims that Iranian leaders governed from bomb shelters, maintaining operations continued normally.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated in an interview with CBS News' "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on Friday that an "atmosphere of distrust" complicates direct relations with the United States, while affirming Iran's commitment to abide by its latest proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

When asked whether he was willing to meet directly with US President Donald Trump during the United Nations General Assembly in New York -an idea floated by Trump- Pezeshkian indicated he would first need clarity on exact negotiation goals.

He pointed to a history of US military strikes against Iran occurring in the middle of ongoing diplomatic negotiations.

"As long as they don't cease doing what they're imposing on us every day, it's difficult to trust them," Pezeshkian told CBS News. "Every day, they increase the sanctions against us. Every day, they threaten us. Every day, they strike us. And they don't honor what they have put in writing. So if they engage in talks, will they actually follow through?"

Iran agrees to allow nuclear inspectors 

Addressing the nuclear file, Pezeshkian confirmed to Brennan that Iran would allow International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) nuclear inspectors back into the country as part of broader negotiations.

When Brennan highlighted past instances where UN inspectors were denied full access and pressed whether weapons inspectors would be permitted now, Pezeshkian repeatedly confirmed: "That is absolutely correct."

"If they wish to come in and have inspections, we can reach accords and agreements vis-à-vis that specific topic within the negotiations," Pezeshkian added.

Simultaneously, Pezeshkian denied that Iran harbors ambitions to construct a nuclear weapon, referencing religious prohibitions.

"Developing nuclear weapons is haram," Pezeshkian stated, using the Islamic term for forbidden. "Religiously speaking, they are not allowed to pursue that path."

Update on Mojtaba 

Pezeshkian also addressed questions regarding Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not made public appearances since the US-'Israeli' attack that killed his father, former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, earlier this year.

Speaking in his capacity as a medical physician, Pezeshkian stated that the new supreme leader has recovered from face and leg injuries and has "no specific ongoing health issues or challenges."

Pezeshkian disclosed that he recently met twice with Khamenei, including one session lasting over seven hours where they discussed state affairs alongside a six-member consultative team comprising security, parliamentary, and government officials.

Addressing observations about operating in a country actively at war, Pezeshkian rejected assertions that Iranian leadership conducted governance from bomb shelters.

"We were not in a shelter a few months ago," Pezeshkian told CBS. "How did we manage the country? It's not as if we were in a shelter. If we were in a shelter, nothing would have gotten done."

Colombia has formally severed diplomatic relations with Iran, aligning Bogotá more closely with the United States and ‘Israel’.

The decision under President Abelardo de la Espriella, who took office in August, ends more than five decades of ties established in 1975.

The Colombian Foreign Ministry stated that the rupture “responds to the pillars guiding the government’s foreign policy on national and hemispheric security, and the fight against transnational crime,” citing “alleged links of the Iranian government with international terrorist groups and other narcoterrorist groups that threaten the country’s security.”

Officials also pointed to what they said was confirmed human rights violations by Iranian authorities on their own territory, verified attacks on countries not party to the Middle East conflict, the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, and obstruction of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) efforts to verify Iran’s nuclear program.

“These facts deteriorated Colombia’s trust in the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the ministry said.

In a parallel announcement, Colombia designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a terrorist organization.

The ministry described the force as one that “represses the Iranian population and attacks in covert operations beyond Iran’s borders,” noting it is already classified as such by the European Union, North American countries, and several nations in the Middle East, Latin America, and Oceania.

The IRGC “represents a serious danger to international peace and security,” the statement added.

Consular relations will continue under the Vienna Conventions, with Colombia’s embassy in New Delhi expected to handle residual affairs.

The announcement came shortly after Vice President José Manuel Restrepo addressed the UN General Assembly without mentioning the issue.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry rejected the move as “baseless” and contrary to mutual respect.

It said none of Colombia’s claims hold “validity or logic” and that the decision was taken “solely under the influence of Israel and the United States.”

Tehran vowed “necessary measures” to protect its national interests and accused Colombia of hypocrisy over drug trafficking, citing a recent seizure of Colombian cocaine in Iran.

The step forms part of a rapid foreign-policy realignment under de la Espriella, who has restored ties with ‘Israel’ (broken by predecessor Gustavo Petro) and deepened cooperation with Washington.

Peru severed relations with Iran earlier in September on similar grounds.

‘Israel’s’ ambassador in Bogotá welcomed the decision, stating that Iran’s “activities and links with terrorist organizations and drug trafficking have generated serious security concerns in Colombia and the international community.”

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Read more: Day 210 | US, Iran discuss phased deal to reopen Hormuz and end US blockade