Iran Has a New Condition for Talks With the US—What Is It?
News Desk
Tehran: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said Tehran has no immediate plans to hold direct talks with US officials, stressing that any decision on direct or indirect negotiations will depend on Washington accepting Iran’s conditions.
In an interview with Qatari broadcaster Al Jazeera, Araghchi discussed the prospects for US-Iran negotiations, regional mediation efforts, the situation in the Strait of Hormuz and the possibility of renewed military confrontation.
Araghchi dismissed reports of an imminent meeting with US officials, describing them as speculation. He said Iran currently saw no need for direct engagement with Washington and was continuing consultations with mediators.
He confirmed that an Iranian delegation had departed for Doha to hold discussions with Qatari and Pakistani mediators as diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis continue.
According to the Iranian foreign minister, Tehran has also revised its proposal regarding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz following consultations with Qatar.
Iran had previously proposed reopening the strategic waterway seven days after negotiations began, provided the United States accepted its conditions. However, following a proposal from Qatari mediators to reduce the timeframe to five days, Iran further shortened it to just two days, Araghchi said.
He explained that Iran’s demands include lifting sanctions imposed following the ‘Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding’, reducing the US military presence in the region and allowing Tehran to freely sell its oil.
The demands also include the release of Iranian assets frozen abroad, including those held in Qatar.
Araghchi further said Washington must recognize the shipping routes established between Iran and Oman in the Strait of Hormuz. He reiterated that Tehran would decide whether to pursue direct or indirect negotiations only after the United States accepts its conditions.
Commenting on a letter received from US Vice President-elect JD Vance, Araghchi said Iran had carefully examined the document during high-level consultations.
He described the letter as a potentially positive step towards opening dialogue but warned that any attempt by Washington to create divisions through the correspondence would constitute another major miscalculation.
Meanwhile, the Iranian foreign minister said Tehran was not ruling out the possibility of renewed military confrontation with the United States or Israel and remained prepared for all eventualities.
He claimed that Iran had modernized its weapons systems, addressed security vulnerabilities and tested new military equipment, adding that the country’s armed forces were maintaining a high level of readiness.
Addressing the economic impact of US sanctions, Araghchi said Iran would not surrender under pressure and would rely on its domestic capabilities to overcome the challenges facing the country.
