Araghchi: Iran Sets Terms to Reopen Hormuz

By Staff, Agencies

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said late Monday that the conditions set by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Sayyed Mojtaba Khamenei must be met for the Strait of Hormuz to reopen, following another meeting with Qatari mediators in New York over proposals to be presented to Washington.

Araghchi said the Iranian delegation’s mission in New York was to convey Tehran’s conditions to Washington and the international community.

He added that he would return to Tehran within hours, while Qatar would relay the US response once received, expressing hope the process would conclude by Tuesday, according to IRNA.

Meanwhile, Araghchi said Tehran has offered a solution if Washington genuinely seeks an agreement or peaceful settlement, stressing that Iran continues to pursue diplomatic solutions despite the wars waged against it.

He said Iran is “as ready for diplomacy as it is for war.”

The Qatari mediators arrived with proposals on how Iran’s conditions could be met and will now present them to Washington before relaying its response to Tehran. Araghchi said mediation through Qatar and Pakistan had remained open but intensified following Iran’s latest proposal.

A US official reported that indirect discussions with Iran remain “positive and constructive,” while stressing that no agreement can be reached unless nuclear issues are addressed.

The latest efforts follow US President Trump’s Saturday rejection of an Iranian proposal under which Tehran would reopen the strait and resume nuclear talks within a week if Washington lifted its naval blockade, removed sanctions on Iranian oil sales and restored a regional ceasefire.

A regional source told Axios that Qatari mediators subsequently discussed the proposal with both sides and presented a compromise for consideration.

Speaking to NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday, Araghchi said Trump’s rejection had not been officially conveyed to Iran through the mediators.

He warned that Iran was fully prepared for renewed war and would resist any new aggression, “even if it comes to a doomsday war.”

Araghchi described the proposal as entirely logical, saying Washington would bear responsibility for the consequences if it rejected it without justification and that the choice ultimately rests with Trump.

The diplomatic push comes roughly seven months into the US-“Israeli” war on Iran, as Tehran maintains control over transit through the Strait of Hormuz while Washington enforces a naval blockade on Iranian ports. The standoff has pushed oil prices above $100 a barrel and US borrowing costs to their highest levels since 2007.