Qatar is pushing a diplomatic proposal that could lead to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, linking the resumption of shipping through the strategic waterway to renewed United Nations inspections of Iran’s bombed nuclear facilities.
The proposal, which Qatar is discussing with the United States and Iran, would require Tehran to grant the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) access to its damaged nuclear sites, including facilities holding its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. However, Iran would not be required to remove the uranium from the country, with options such as reducing its enrichment level through down-blending also under consideration.
Under the proposed arrangement, the United States would immediately lift its naval blockade on Iran and release part of the country’s $8bn in frozen assets. Iran would then reopen the Strait of Hormuz on the second day, using a shipping route it has negotiated with Oman for joint submission to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, discussed the proposal with US President Donald Trump on Friday. Although the emir’s office did not disclose details of the conversation, Qatar’s state news agency said he emphasised dialogue and diplomacy as the means of resolving disputes and preventing further escalation.
The proposal is based on an earlier agreement reached in Cairo in September 2025, which was subsequently abandoned. However, negotiations remain complicated by Iran’s additional conditions for reopening the waterway. These include ending the war in Lebanon, withdrawing US forces from Iran’s coastline, lifting some economic sanctions and securing war reparations.
Iran has also expressed reservations about allowing international nuclear inspectors back into the country, particularly over its distrust of IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi. Tehran accuses Grossi of failing to condemn the US bombing of its nuclear facilities and fears that information gathered by inspectors could be passed to the United States and Israel for military targeting.
Oman is separately discussing the future administration of the strait with Tehran, including the proposed shipping route, the duration of any arrangement and its registration with the IMO. Muscat has advocated a framework under which shipping companies would pay for services provided along the route rather than face transit tolls.
The proposed reopening carries significant implications for global oil supply because of the volume of crude transported through the waterway. Kpler senior crude oil analyst Muyu Xu said approximately 10.23 million barrels per day of Gulf crude passed through the Strait of Hormuz in October, with China accounting for about 42 per cent and India 13 per cent.
Iran has previously granted passage exemptions to vessels from China, India, Qatar and Iraq, according to Amir Hayat Moqaddam, deputy chairman of the Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee. He said Indian and Chinese vessels were charged transit fees, while Qatari ships passed without charge. India supplied medicine to Iran, while China provided political support.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy said two oil tankers attempting to cross an unauthorised route in the eastern section of the strait had struck mines and caught fire. The force alleged that the vessels had switched off their navigation and identification systems and were attempting the crossing with US military support.
Although the Qatari proposal offers a possible route towards restoring commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, unresolved disagreements over sanctions, military deployments, nuclear inspections and the war in Lebanon remain significant obstacles to a final agreement.
