TEHRAN — Iran called on the United States Tuesday to meet its conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, signaling a potential diplomatic opening after eight months of conflict. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told the state-run IRNA news agency that the standoff cannot be resolved through military force or escalating sanctions.
“The only solution is to adopt a language of respect, engage in diplomacy, and address Iran’s demands and conditions — which were outlined in the two-day proposal and remain on the table,” Araghchi said.
Tehran has blocked the strategic waterway since hostilities began in late February. Its proposal would reopen the strait within 48 hours in exchange for a comprehensive ceasefire across all fronts, the unfreezing of Iranian assets, the lifting of oil sanctions, and an end to the U.S. counter-blockade of Iranian ports.
The overture comes as President Donald Trump acknowledged “positive momentum” toward ending the war following a White House meeting Monday with Qatar’s prime minister. In a social media post, Trump reiterated that U.S. forces remained “locked and loaded” but said further strikes were “quite unlikely” given that key Gulf allies “would prefer the status quo.”
“We are seeing positive momentum toward an end to this conflict, and will ensure that America’s interests are at all times protected,” Trump said.
Qatar and Pakistan are leading mediation efforts to resolve the war, which erupted after U.S.-Israeli strikes killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The conflict contributed to Republican losses in last week’s midterm elections.
Mohsen Rezaei, head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, struck a more combative tone Tuesday, urging Washington to “surrender” to Iranian demands. “The war on Iran has already wrecked the US government. But Washington flails like a desperate gambler. FOLD YOUR HAND. STOP manufacturing FAKE NEWS about imaginary talks,” Rezaei wrote on X.
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