Iran has stood firm on its conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz despite US President Donald Trump’s rejection of a proposal aimed at breaking the stalemate in the Middle East war.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that Tehran would not back down from its demands, which include an end to hostilities across the region and the fulfilment of commitments under a ceasefire agreement that collapsed months ago, state broadcaster IRIB reported.
“Our conditions are clear, and any move toward reopening the Strait of Hormuz is contingent upon these conditions being fulfilled. We will not back down from them,” Araghchi said.
“We have never closed the door to diplomacy or negotiations, but at the same time, we have never backed down from our rights.”
The proposal, conveyed to Washington through Qatar, would allow the strait to reopen within seven days if Iran’s conditions are met, Araghchi told the UN.
Tehran’s demands include an end to fighting in Lebanon, the release of frozen Iranian assets, the lifting of sanctions on Iranian oil and an end to the US naval blockade.
Trump said on Saturday that he had rejected the proposed truce, although he indicated that he remained open to an agreement.
“They want to make a deal where they open the Strait immediately because they’re losing so badly,” he told reporters. “They want to make a deal and I think that’s fine. I like making a deal too.”
Araghchi said Tehran had seen Trump’s initial response but was still awaiting formal word through mediators.
“We are waiting for the mediators to convey the definitive positions to us, and we will make a decision based on them,” he said on Sunday.
Collapsed ceasefire deal
The Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global energy supplies, has become central to the conflict between Washington and Tehran, which began nearly seven months ago with deadly strikes on Iran.
The two sides signed a memorandum of understanding in June aimed at ending the war, reopening the strait and launching talks on Iran’s nuclear programme.
But the agreement broke down shortly afterwards when Iran fired on commercial ships it accused of deviating from its approved route through the waterway.
Iran requires ships to obtain authorisation before passing through the strait, citing security and sovereignty concerns. Ships that refuse to comply are regularly targeted, while the United States sporadically bombs Iranian coastal areas in retaliation.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reiterated Tehran’s distrust of Washington during a meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York, according to the Iranian president’s office.
“Iran has not walked away from the negotiating table but, given past experiences, it no longer trusts the United States,” Pezeshkian said.
Araghchi also told the UN that Washington must decide whether to accept Tehran’s proposal.
“The choice now rests with the United States. Iran does not accept coercion, threats or intimidation, and Iran will not surrender its sovereign rights under pressure,” he said.
Hossein Mohebi, a spokesperson for Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, reinforced that position, telling Tasnim news agency: “We will not cease punishing the US until Iran’s seven conditions are met.”
Mohebi told AFP in an interview on Tuesday that ending hostilities in Yemen was also among Tehran’s demands.
‘Tool for pressure’
At the UN, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud accused the international community of failing to meet its responsibility to keep the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al Mandab open.
“The kingdom rejects any party’s use of these vital passages as a tool for pressure, threat, or harm to the interests of states,” he said, stressing their importance to global energy security.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow was willing to help stabilise the region.
“Russia, together with other responsible states, stands ready to constructively contribute to stabilising this strategically important region,” he told UN member states.
