Iran says contacts over ending war continue after talks finish with no breakthrough

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said consultations through mediators were intensive and that progress depended on Washington’s political rationality. Tehran’s seven-step proposal, now condensed for implementation within two days, calls for the United States to end its blockade on Iranian ports, Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a US waiver on Iranian oil sales and the cancellation of new sanctions, followed by talks on other issues. Iran said nuclear discussions could resume only after it verified that its conditions had been met, and rejected transferring its highly enriched uranium stockpile to another country.

Iranian negotiators left Doha on Sunday, and an official briefed on the talks said a draft proposal was being circulated. Oil prices fell nearly 4% on Monday on hopes for a diplomatic solution, although Iranian sources said they considered a new US attack more likely than a deal. China and Russia called for political solutions and increased diplomacy, while a Qatari LNG tanker was struck by unidentified objects in the Gulf on Friday, its operator said.