Iran and the United States (US) hinted on Tuesday at the prospect of reviving negotiations to end their conflict, with the presidents of both countries due at the UN General Assembly in New York.

The event would be the first attended by US President Donald Trump and his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian since Trump launched “Operation Epic Fury” against Iran alongside Israel. Trump had said on Sunday he would be open to a meeting with the Iranian president. A senior Iranian official said there were no plans for the two leaders to meet directly, but that Iran’s delegation had full authority to revive talks. 

Iran could reopen the Strait of Hormuz to Gulf shipping within seven days if the US fulfilled Tehran’s demands to ease military pressure and lift an American blockade on Iranian ports, the Iranian official said, adding that Iran had conveyed its latest proposal to Washington via mediators last week.

“The US needs to announce that it wants to resolve the issue diplomatically, make that official, and then agree on a timeline for how the process will move forward,” the official said.