Iran stands firm on Hormuz plan, insists on diplomacy

TEHRAN, Sept 27: Iran on Sunday stood firm on its conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, despite US President Donald Trump rejecting Tehran’s proposal aimed at ending the conflict and restoring shipping through the strategic waterway.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran would not withdraw its demands, while stressing that diplomacy remained the only way to resolve the deadlock. “Our conditions are clear,” Araghchi said, adding that reopening the strait depended on those conditions being met.

The peace plan calls for an end to hostilities across the Middle East, including Lebanon, as well as implementation of provisions from a ceasefire agreement that collapsed earlier this year. Those provisions included the release of frozen Iranian assets, lifting sanctions on Iranian oil and an end to the US naval blockade of Iranian ports.

Trump, however, said on Saturday that he had rejected the proposal. 

“We are waiting for the mediators to convey the definitive views to us, and we will make a decision based on them,” Araghchi said.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has also said Tehran remains open to negotiations but no longer trusts Washington because of previous diplomatic failures. Iranian officials have said any future talks could include discussions on Iran’s nuclear programme, but Tehran would not accept coercion or give up what it considers its sovereign rights.

Iran’s military leadership has meanwhile warned that Tehran would not accept a situation in which it could neither trade nor use regional waterways. 

The crisis has also drawn concern from Gulf states. �" AGENCIES