New York (HRNW)- Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said Iran is prepared to face renewed military confrontation with the United States while maintaining that diplomacy remains an option for resolving the conflict.
In an interview with US media, Araghchi said Iran would resist any new aggression even if the confrontation escalated into what he described as a catastrophic war. At the same time, he emphasized that Tehran remained committed to pursuing diplomatic opportunities.
Araghchi said Iran had explored diplomatic channels during the United Nations General Assembly in New York, including meetings and informal contacts, in an effort to address the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the wider conflict.
He said messages from President Donald Trump had been inconsistent and that Tehran had not received an official communication through mediators corresponding to some of the US president’s public statements.
Regarding the Strait of Hormuz, Araghchi said Iran was prepared to reopen the waterway as part of an agreement to end hostilities, provided Washington met Tehran’s stated conditions, including the release of frozen Iranian assets and allowing Iran to resume oil sales. Reuters has reported that Iran offered to reopen the strait within seven days if the United States eased military pressure and lifted its blockade on Iranian ports.
Araghchi linked the conditions to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding reached in June through Pakistani mediation, saying the requirements were part of commitments previously contained in the understanding. Iran has continued to say that reopening the strait depends on Washington returning to those commitments.
The Iranian foreign minister also emphasized that Tehran did not want to miss opportunities for peace and said Iran remained willing to pursue negotiations based on mutual respect, fairness, and international law.
He said Iran’s position was not influenced by the upcoming US midterm elections and that Tehran would continue to prioritize what it considers its national interests.
The latest remarks come amid continued indirect contacts between Washington and Tehran. Iranian and US representatives held hours-long mediated discussions in New York on the Strait of Hormuz and possible steps toward reviving negotiations under the Islamabad understanding.
Iran has therefore continued to signal that military preparedness and diplomatic engagement are being pursued simultaneously, with the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz remaining closely tied to the broader negotiations.
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