Iran says diplomacy remains the only way to resolve its conflict with the United States and Israel, after US President Donald Trump rejected Tehran’s proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and halt regional fighting.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Tehran’s conditions for reopening the strategic waterway remained unchanged.
“Our conditions are clear, and any move toward reopening the Strait of Hormuz is contingent on these conditions being met,” Araqchi said.
He added: “Only a negotiated solution can get them out of this deadlock.”
Trump Rejects Iranian Proposal
Iran presented its peace proposal during the UN General Assembly in New York, with the plan transmitted to Washington through Qatari mediators.
Trump said he had rejected the proposal, arguing that Iran was seeking an immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz because of mounting pressure on the country.
“They want to make a deal to open the Hormuz Strait immediately because they’re losing so badly,” Trump told reporters.
Despite rejecting the proposal, Trump has said US negotiators are expected to hold further talks with Iran this week.
Araqchi said Iranian officials were still waiting for the mediators to formally communicate Washington’s position.
“We are waiting for the mediators to convey the definitive views to us, and we will make a decision based on them,” he said.
What Iran Proposed
The Iranian proposal would trigger a seven-day process leading to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and a pause in regional fighting.
If Washington accepted the plan, the two sides could then begin wider negotiations on issues including Iran’s nuclear programme.
Iran has linked the reopening of the waterway to conditions including a reduction in US military pressure and changes to the economic blockade imposed on Tehran.
US envoy to the United Nations Mike Waltz said Trump rejected the proposal because, according to Washington, Iran was seeking the immediate lifting of sanctions and release of frozen assets before broader negotiations.
Waltz also said Trump was not convinced that Tehran was prepared to negotiate an end to its nuclear programme.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, however, said Tehran remained prepared for talks on its nuclear programme and other issues, but would not accept what he described as “bullying or coercion.”
Strait of Hormuz Remains Critical
The dispute over the Strait of Hormuz has become central to the conflict because of its importance to global energy supplies.
The conflict has disrupted shipping through the waterway and affected oil flows, with the economic consequences extending beyond the Middle East. Reuters reported that crude exports from key Middle Eastern producers have begun recovering, while shipments through Hormuz were expected to reach about 7.4 million barrels per day in September.
Oil markets remain particularly sensitive to developments around the strait because any further disruption could affect global energy supplies and prices.
Saudi Arabia Drawn Deeper Into Conflict
The conflict has also expanded across the region.
Saudi Arabia has faced attacks by Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen, while the Houthis have advanced against Saudi-backed forces.
In Saudi Arabia, some schools shifted to remote learning for a week amid the latest security concerns, according to people who received notices cited by Reuters.
In Yemen, Houthi authorities said a strike on shops at a market in Taiz province killed seven people and injured 40, including children. Yemen’s internationally recognised government later said its forces had targeted a Houthi military camp and vehicles in the area.
The latest developments come after months of fighting between Iran, the United States and Israel, with repeated attempts at diplomacy failing to produce a lasting settlement.
For now, Tehran is insisting on negotiations, while Washington remains opposed to the terms of Iran’s latest proposal. The next round of mediated talks could determine whether the two sides can narrow their differences over Hormuz, sanctions, Iran’s nuclear programme and the wider regional conflict.
Discover more from LN247
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
