Tehran — Iran’s senior diplomat said on Sunday that a military solution is unattainable in the U.S.-led confrontation with the Islamic Republic, noting that negotiations to end the conflict have stalled.
A sustained bombardment campaign did not decisively end the conflict initiated by the United States and Israel in late February, prompting Washington to scale back military actions in recent weeks and shift toward economic pressure.
The central issue remains Iran’s effort to block the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial artery for Gulf oil and gas, after a UK maritime agency reported on Sunday that another tanker had been hit by an unidentified projectile.
“Should our adversaries opt for renewed military confrontation, our response will be firmer and we will defend ourselves with greater force,” said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi at a meeting of foreign envoys.
He added that neither a military approach nor additional sanctions would resolve the dispute, stressing that only negotiations grounded in justice and fairness could bring an end to the conflict.
In June the parties signed a memorandum of understanding outlining a framework for a lasting settlement, yet Iranian attacks on ships in the Hormuz led Washington to resume military operations.
Since the conflict began, Iran has sought to assert control over the vital waterway, targeting vessels that transit without its permission.
The United States has responded with a counter‑blockade of Iranian ports and has struck ships it alleges are violating the restrictions.
On Sunday, the UK Maritime Trade Organization (UKMTO) reported that a tanker in the Hormuz said it had been struck by an unknown projectile, damaging the engine room; the crew were safe and no environmental damage was noted.
The agency did not disclose the date of the incident, the vessel’s origin or destination, or whether it was an oil or LNG tanker.
Meanwhile, as Iran contends with lengthening lines at petrol stations stemming from the regional war, Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad resigned, according to a Sunday statement from the presidency.
Hamid Bovard, chief executive of the National Iranian Oil Company, has been named acting oil minister by presidential decree, the presidency announced via state media.
FOCUSED ON HORMUZ
Last week, Iranian and U.S. officials held indirect talks on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, during which Tehran said it had put forward seven conditions for reopening the strait.
Iran’s demands include, among others, a regional cease‑fire, the unfreezing of its overseas assets, the lifting of sanctions on its oil sector, and termination of the U.S. naval blockade.
Trump, however, dismissed the proposal, though he indicated openness to either additional negotiations or a resumption of military action.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on Sunday that the United States had conveyed its views on the proposal and that those views are under review.
“The Americans, via intermediaries, have also shared their perspective on this proposal, and those views are presently being examined domestically through the appropriate channels and procedures,” he told reporters, as reported by the state news agency IRNA.
“Once Iran’s final position is established, suitable measures will be implemented. Simultaneously, the Islamic Republic of Iran is preparing for any other conceivable scenario.”
On Sunday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei characterized the latest U.S. counterproposal as consistent with earlier American positions on nuclear matters.
“We have made clear that our focus is on the Strait of Hormuz,” he said, noting that reopening the waterway would require ending disruptions to Iranian commercial shipping and lifting sanctions.
The United States and Israel maintain that the conflict is needed to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons — a charge Tehran long denies — although attention soon turned to reopening the Hormuz after its closure caused ripples across global energy markets.
The United States has not conducted strikes against Iran since September 1, but it has recently initiated a new military buildup in the region.
Axios reported that senior Trump administration officials met on Friday to discuss the Iran conflict, as well as the Yemen war, where the Tehran‑aligned Houthis continue to battle government forces and launch attacks on Saudi Arabia.
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