Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi lays out Tehran’s conditions for ending the conflict while Iran’s military stays on high alert and mediators race against deadlines in Washington.

A fresh round of diplomacy is under way in Doha, where Iran’s foreign minister has said a recent dialogue offer from the United States is a “positive step” while making clear that Tehran’s core conditions for ending the conflict have not changed.

Abbas Araghchi, speaking to international media as an Iranian delegation visited the Qatari capital, said the outreach was welcome in tone. He also said Iran would continue to hold firm on what it considers essential to any lasting settlement. The talks are taking place as political deadlines approach in Washington and as mediators try to prevent a wider military escalation in the region.

Tehran’s stated conditions

According to Araghchi, Iran is seeking several measures as part of a comprehensive agreement:

• Sanctions and military presence: The lifting of economic sanctions imposed after earlier memorandums of understanding collapsed, along with a reduction of US military forces stationed in the region.
• Economic relief: The restoration of oil export waivers and the release of frozen Iranian funds, including significant assets held in Qatari accounts.
• Ceasefire on all fronts: An end to military hostilities everywhere, explicitly including Israeli military operations in Lebanon.
• Shipping access: Recognition of a newly established shipping corridor through the Strait of Hormuz, coordinated with Oman.

These are Iran’s positions as described by its foreign minister. The material reviewed for this report does not show how Washington or other parties have responded to each demand.

A shorter timeline for Hormuz

One concrete development concerns the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway through which a large share of the world’s seaborne oil passes. Araghchi said the Qatar-mediated discussions have shortened the proposed timeline for reopening the strait from an initial seven days to two.

He presented this as a sign that Tehran wants visible results if an agreement can be reached. As with the other points, the claim comes from the Iranian side and has not been independently confirmed here.

Messages through intermediaries

The latest diplomatic movement follows a message from Washington delivered by US Vice President JD Vance about possible routes back to negotiations. Iranian officials have welcomed the tone of that message. They have not, however, agreed to sit down with American representatives.

Tehran has ruled out direct face-to-face meetings for now and prefers to conduct talks only through regional intermediaries. Qatar is the main channel in this round, and Oman is also involved in the discussions around the shipping corridor.

Mixed signals from Washington

Signals from the White House have not been uniform. On one hand, the administration has made humanitarian gestures, including facilitating emergency medical aid. On the other, it continues to maintain a strategic military posture in the area.

Observers note that US military personnel in the Persian Gulf remain on high alert, with air and naval assets positioned amid concern about possible short-term escalation. Much of that, they say, depends on whether the current diplomatic window produces results.

Iran keeps its forces ready

At the same time, Iran’s leadership has ordered its armed forces to stay at peak combat readiness. The instruction is meant to deter any potential aggression and reflects what analysts describe as a dual-track approach: pursue mediated diplomacy while keeping a strong defensive stance.

That pairing is common in tense negotiations. Each side tries to show it is open to talks while making clear that it is prepared if they fail. It also means the situation can change quickly, since military readiness and diplomatic progress are unfolding in parallel.

Several questions will shape the next few days:

• Whether the shortened two-day plan for reopening the Strait of Hormuz is accepted by all sides.
• Whether Washington responds to Iran’s conditions on sanctions, oil waivers and frozen funds.
• Whether the approaching political deadlines in Washington raise or ease pressure on negotiators.
• Whether the refusal of direct talks softens or holds as the Doha discussions continue.

For now, delegations are continuing their behind-the-scenes work in Doha. The coming days will show whether last-minute diplomacy can produce a lasting ceasefire or whether the region moves closer to a wider confrontation.