Qatar Seeks Iranian Consent to Nuclear Inspections Within a Hormuz Plan
Qatar is trying to persuade Iran to let United Nations nuclear inspectors visit its bombed nuclear sites, as part of a wider proposal that would also reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the sea passage at the mouth of the Gulf. The plan is still a proposal, and it has not been agreed by the parties.
Under the arrangement, the United States would immediately lift its naval blockade on Iran in the strait, meaning its warships would stop restricting shipping there, and release a portion of $8bn in frozen Iranian assets. In return, Iran would agree to visits by inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN's nuclear watchdog, to its bombed facilities. The visits would be based on a deal reached in Cairo in September 2025 that was later abandoned. Guardian
The bombed sites include facilities housing Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium, a material enriched to a higher concentration than most nuclear power programmes require. Under the Qatari proposal, Iran would not be required to commit to removing that stockpile from the country. One option on the table is down-blending, which dilutes the uranium to reduce its enrichment level. The IAEA reported in 2025 that Iran had significantly increased its production and accumulation of highly enriched uranium.
Iran would open the strait on the second day, using a route negotiated with Oman that would be jointly registered with the International Maritime Organisation, the UN agency for shipping. Oman's foreign minister, Badr Albusaidi, has spoken with Iran about the future administration of the strait, including the agreed route and registration of the proposal. Qatar's Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, spoke to US President Donald Trump about the plan.
Iran has also set other preconditions for reopening the strait. These include an end to the war in Lebanon, the withdrawal of US forces from the Iranian coastline, the lifting of some economic sanctions, which are restrictions on trade and finance, and payment of war reparations. A memorandum of understanding envisaged a $300bn reconstruction and development fund to help Iran's economy recover.
The current proposal follows earlier stages of diplomacy. In June 2026, Iran agreed to allow UN inspectors back into the country as part of an agreement under which Washington would lift sanctions. In late October, a proposal linked to a letter from US Vice President JD Vance required Tehran to make commitments on its nuclear programme at the start of a process leading to the strait's reopening. Earlier, Tehran had refused to make upfront concessions on the return of inspectors to the bombed sites.
On 5 November, a senior Iranian official told Reuters that Iran had sent the United States a nuclear proposal via Qatar. The official said that proposal would be discussed only after Washington meets Tehran's seven demands.
