Iran reaffirmed on Sunday that diplomacy remains the sole path to resolving its conflict with the United States and Israel, following US President Donald Trump’s rejection of Tehran’s proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and halt hostilities. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi emphasized that reopening the strategic waterway depends on specific conditions being met, and only through negotiation can the current impasse be overcome.
The peace initiative was unveiled by Iran last week during the UN General Assembly in New York and reportedly communicated to the US through Qatari intermediaries. However, Trump publicly dismissed the proposal on Saturday, suggesting that Iran’s eagerness to negotiate stemmed from its deteriorating position. “They want to make a deal to open the Hormuz Strait immediately because they’re losing so badly,” Trump stated at the White House.
Despite Trump’s remarks, mediators involved in the discussions have yet to formally convey a US rejection, Araqchi noted. He added that Iran awaits definitive feedback from these intermediaries before deciding on its next steps.
The US has imposed an economic blockade on Iran aimed at pressuring Tehran to cease attacks on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz. These attacks have significantly disrupted shipping traffic, even as Trump asserts US control over the vital maritime route.
Reports indicate that Trump privately doubts Iran will comply with his demands and anticipates a possible escalation in bombing campaigns following the November US midterm elections. Meanwhile, a US official described the ongoing mediator-led talks as “positive and constructive.”
Iran’s army commander, Amir Hatam, described the conflict as reaching a critical juncture, warning that Tehran will not accept restrictions on its trade while foreign powers dominate the region’s strategic waterways. “If Iran cannot trade, if Iran cannot live, no one will be able to trade or live,” he declared.
In a notable development, Iran has also engaged with its regional rival Saudi Arabia concerning the Strait of Hormuz, highlighting the high stakes of a seven-month conflict that has disrupted oil supplies and impacted the global economy.
At the UN, Araqchi stated that the proposed agreement would initiate a seven-day countdown to reopening the strait and a cessation of regional hostilities. He expressed readiness for broader negotiations on mutually agreed topics if the US demonstrates seriousness in reaching a deal.
Such discussions could potentially encompass Iran’s nuclear program. Trump has identified preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons as a primary objective of the conflict, alongside curbing its regional aggression and fostering conditions for regime change in Tehran.
However, a senior Iranian official asserted that Iran would not compromise on its nuclear rights, including uranium enrichment or the export of highly enriched uranium, even if the US accepted the peace proposal.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, speaking on the CBS program “Face the Nation,” affirmed Tehran’s willingness to negotiate on nuclear and other issues but rejected any form of coercion or intimidation. “Iran is not seeking war, but will defend itself against pressure, threats and attacks,” he said, reiterating Iran’s commitment to not developing nuclear weapons.
The conflict, which began on February 28 with US and Israeli strikes against Iran, has seen cycles of ceasefires and renewed attacks, resulting in thousands of deaths, degradation of Iran’s conventional forces, and further economic strain.
Iran and its allies have expanded the conflict regionally, targeting US allies in the Gulf with drones and missiles, while Iran’s Houthi allies in Yemen have struck Saudi interests.
On Sunday, Yemen’s Houthi-run health ministry reported that an airstrike hit shops at a market near the Mawiya junction in Taiz province, killing seven people and injuring 40, including children. Subsequently, Yemen’s internationally recognized government claimed its forces targeted a Houthi military camp and vehicles at the same location.
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