Iran is urging the United States to lift the naval blockade and confirm its readiness for a diplomatic settlement to the war. This was stated by Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Bloomberg reports.
“Iran is ready to give diplomacy another chance if we see compelling evidence of the United States’ sincere desire to reach a fair and dignified solution to bring this conflict to a definitive end,” Araghchi said.
Earlier, in an interview with Iraqi media, he urged the United States to return to the memorandum of understanding signed in June, which soon ceased to be in force. Under its terms, Iran was to open the Strait of Hormuz, while the United States would lift the naval blockade, unfreeze Iranian oil funds and lift sanctions.
“If they comply with these conditions, they should know that the strait will be fully opened, and after that we will hold the next rounds of talks until a final agreement is reached,” Araghchi said.
According to Bloomberg, Washington is currently showing no willingness to return to the June memorandum. After it collapsed, the United States stepped up economic pressure on Tehran and focused on Iran’s nuclear programme, widening the differences between the sides.
On Wednesday, Brent crude rose above $110 a barrel amid attacks on vessels and disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
US President Donald Trump in recent weeks has repeatedly threatened new strikes on Iran. He suggested the bombing could resume after the US midterm elections scheduled for 3 November.
Against this backdrop, Iran’s leadership fears that without concrete de-escalation guarantees, Washington could return to talks with the intention of later resuming military strikes.
“Today we do not trust the United States and believe that if we negotiate, they will attack us again,” Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said during a meeting with Pakistan’s Army Chief of Staff Asim Munir in Tehran on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, Pezeshkian also said Iran and the United States could “sit down together and talk” if Washington “recognises the rights of the Iranian people and stops intimidation and aggression”.
In his article, Araghchi noted that he currently sees no grounds to expect progress in the talks, as the White House is showing no readiness for understanding and continues to threaten the use of force.
Trump’s threats to resume air strikes on Iran prompted Iranian officials to say they are ready to retaliate by striking the infrastructure of Persian Gulf countries if Iran is attacked again.
“If they do not quickly change their behaviour, we will soon see this through to the end,” Trump said last week, backing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of upcoming elections in Israel.
- In September Tehran sent Washington a new seven-day proposal on restoring shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and resuming broader talks for a final settlement to the war.