Iran has said that the Strait of Hormuz will not reopen until seven conditions are met, as indirect talks with the US stall and officials in Tehran prepare for the possibility of another round of fighting.
Tehran's lead negotiator, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said the US had sent proposals through intermediaries that contradicted its leaders' public statements. However, he added, Iran’s position was “completely clear and definitive”.
“Until our seven conditions based on the Islamabad memorandum of understanding are realised, the Strait of Hormuz will not be opened,” Mr Ghalibaf said, referring to a framework agreement signed by the US and Iran in June.
Tehran has repeatedly demanded an end to the fighting, the lifting of a US naval blockade, the release of frozen assets and relief from sanctions.
Mr Ghalibaf said Iran would pursue diplomacy while remaining prepared for war. “We will neither become emotional nor intimidated; we will both fight and negotiate. The person who is victorious at the negotiating table is the one who has prepared himself for war.”
A source in Tehran told The National on Saturday that Iran was preparing for a “major round of fighting” as diplomatic efforts faltered and Washington considered its next steps.
“The military option has not been abandoned” by the US, the source said. “But the Iranians are also preparing for a major round of fighting and have the capabilities to do so.
“The door to diplomacy remains open and has not been closed. But assessments in Iran are that the war is resuming.”
Last month, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held Qatari-mediated talks with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner during the UN General Assembly in New York. However, no breakthrough was achieved.
During the assembly, Mr Araghchi submitted a proposal to the US, in which Tehran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and negotiations would resume “if the necessary conditions are met”.
Iran has also offered nuclear concessions as part of its efforts to break the deadlock, with sources saying the country had proposed diluting its stockpile of uranium enriched to 60 per cent before handing it over to a third party under procedures recognised by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Meanwhile, the UAE has reaffirmed its commitment to a peaceful resolution of its dispute over the Iranian-occupied islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa.
“The UAE’s approach is clear and consistent: resolving the dispute peacefully through direct bilateral negotiations or by recourse to the International Court of Justice,” said Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to President Sheikh Mohamed.
He added that the UAE would continue to pursue its “legitimate rights” responsibly until a peaceful resolution was reached in accordance with international law.
The US-Iran war has reshaped the regional security landscape and left both sides preparing for the possibility of renewed fighting even as diplomatic channels remain open.
Brig Gen Esmail Qaani, commander of Iran’s Quds Force, has described Wednesday's US withdrawal from Iraq as a victory and said Tehran-backed groups would continue to play a role there, amid uncertainty over Baghdad’s plans to take weapons under state control.
The deadline for the militias to disarm has been pushed back to June next year, while powerful faction Kataib Hezbollah has denied reaching an understanding with the Iraqi government on the fate of its weapons.
