Iran Warns US: Military Action Won’t Resolve Middle East Conflict

Iran’s senior diplomat said on Sunday that a military solution is impossible in the U.S.-led conflict against Iran, noting that negotiations to end the stalemate have stalled.

A sustained barrage of strikes did not secure a decisive end to the conflict initiated by the United States and Israel in late February, prompting Washington to scale back its military actions and shift toward economic pressure.

The core dispute centers on Iran’s effort to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial artery for Gulf oil and gas, after a UK maritime agency reported on Sunday that another vessel had been hit by an unidentified projectile.

“Should our adversaries opt for military confrontation again, our response will be fiercer and we will defend ourselves with greater force,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told a gathering of foreign envoys.

He added that neither military action nor fresh sanctions would resolve the issue, insisting that only talks 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 outbreak of hostilities, Iran has sought to dominate the vital waterway, targeting vessels that try to pass without its authorization.

The United States has responded with its own blockade of Iranian ports and has struck ships it claims 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 unidentified projectile, damaging the engine room, while the crew remained safe and no environmental harm was detected.

The agency did not disclose when the incident occurred, the ship’s origin or destination, or whether it was an oil or LNG carrier.

– Focused on Hormuz –

Last week, Iranian and U.S. officials held indirect talks on the margins of the UN General Assembly, during which Tehran said it had put forward seven conditions for reopening the strait.

Iran’s demands include a Middle‑Eastwide ceasefire, the release of its frozen overseas assets, the removal of sanctions on its oil sector, and an end to the U.S. naval blockade.

Trump, however, dismissed the proposal, though he indicated openness to either further negotiations or a resumption of military action.

On Sunday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei described the latest U.S. counterproposal as consistent with previous offers related to nuclear matters.

He stressed that Iran’s focus remains on the Strait of Hormuz, noting that reopening the waterway hinges on ending disruptions to Iranian commercial shipping and lifting sanctions.

The United States and Israel have framed the conflict as essential to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons—a aim Tehran has long denied—yet attention quickly turned to reopening the Hormuz after its closure triggered tremors in global energy markets.

The United States has not launched a strike against Iran since September 1, but it has recently begun a new military buildup in the region.

Axios reported that Washington has sent extra Patriot missile batteries to Saudi Arabia and Qatar to shield vital energy sites from possible Iranian retaliation.

It also noted that the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group is en route to the Middle East, where it could link up with two other U.S. carrier strike groups already present.

Axios added that senior Trump administration officials met on Friday to discuss the Iran conflict as well as the Yemen war, where Iran‑aligned Houthi forces are battling the Yemeni government and striking Saudi Arabia.

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