Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz will not reopen until the United States meets seven conditions outlined in a June interim agreement, as Tehran and Washington remain at odds over efforts to end their conflict.
He said the seven conditions were based on the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, as reported by Reuters.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, who is also the country’s top negotiator, was quoted by state media on Sunday as saying Tehran’s position on reopening the strategic waterway was “completely clear and firm”. Qalibaf said the US must understand that the period of prolonging the diplomatic process and imposing one-sided demands was over. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran had conveyed its broad position on the US response through mediators, but that some points still needed to be communicated to Washington. He said the US proposals were broadly in line with its earlier positions, particularly on the nuclear issue. Baghaei said Iran was currently focused on the Strait of Hormuz and that restoring security in the waterway would require clear steps from the US.
He also denied that Tehran had offered inspections of its nuclear facilities by the UN nuclear watchdog in exchange for sanctions relief, saying Iran had not entered into nuclear discussions with Washington. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that Tehran hoped Washington would choose diplomacy but warned that Iran was prepared to respond if the US resumed military action.
Araghchi also said there was no military solution to the conflict and that negotiations based on justice and fairness were needed to end it, AFP reported.
“If they again move towards military solutions, we are more prepared than before and will take whatever action is necessary to defend ourselves,” Araghchi told foreign ambassadors and diplomats in Tehran, according to Reuters.
