The Iranian authorities have conveyed to the United States "some ideas" that "could facilitate" the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, conditioned in any case on Washington accepting and executing the requirements set by Tehran. These proposals are framed within the contacts to try to reach an understanding that ends the escalation in the Middle East triggered by the U.S.-Israeli offensive against the country.
Sources from the Iranian Embassy in Madrid have indicated to Europa Press that "some ideas have been presented in this regard, especially by the mediators, which, if the U.S. aggressor accepts and complies with them, could also facilitate the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz." However, they have emphasized that "the conditions are very changeable," so "nothing can be affirmed or denied with precision" about the specific content of the proposal or its clauses.
The same sources have reiterated that "the origin and cause" of the tension in this strategic passage lie in the "aggression" of the United States and Israel. They have recalled that the joint military offensive, launched by surprise while talks between Washington and Tehran for a possible nuclear pact were ongoing, is compounded by the U.S. naval "blockade" and the "economic war" against Iran. "Therefore, it is the cessation of these aggressive actions that could change the situation," they concluded.
These statements come after Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi spoke on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly about the Iranian proposal. He explained that if Washington accepted it, it could lead to the reopening of the strait within seven days. "If certain conditions are met, the Strait of Hormuz would open at the end of the seventh day, and the (peace) talks would then resume," he stated. "As soon as they accept this plan, from the next day, the timeline can start, and after seven days, the strait will be open," he indicated, according to the Qatari channel Al Jazeera.
Araqchi avoided offering public details about the document sent to the U.S. Administration, although he specified that it would resemble the memorandum of understanding sealed in June between Iran and the United States in Pakistan, a country that acts as a mediator and also participated in the signing of a ceasefire agreement in April, later marked by new exchanges of attacks.
That understanding from June anticipated that Tehran would authorize the transit of ships through the strait without charging fees for 60 days, a period during which peace talks were to take place to attempt a definitive agreement. The text did not detail what would happen once that deadline was exceeded.
Pezeshkian calls to advance from the June agreement
The Iranian president, Masud Pezeshkian, also referred to this framework in an interview with the American network Fox News, broadcast on Thursday. In it, he assured that the country "already reached an agreement" in June with the President of the United States, Donald Trump. "That agreement was signed and, from it, we want to advance," he stated, insisting that "the framework was agreed upon."
The leader pointed out that, before the offensive by the United States and Israel, the Strait of Hormuz was completely operational and without restrictions on maritime traffic. He denounced that this military campaign left hundreds dead, including the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died in the first bombings. "They attacked us. They murdered and caused the martyrdom of our dear supreme leader, our scientists, our military commanders, and members of the Government," Pezeshkian maintained. In his view, "the problem is that the United States, instead of dialoguing, entered bombing first and blocking the roads." "We are prepared," he reiterated.
Pezeshkian also emphasized that Tehran is willing to reduce uranium enrichment levels and accept international verification processes, in line with the position expressed by Iran regarding a potential nuclear understanding. He stressed that the country does not intend to acquire atomic weapons nor is it developing a program with that objective, and pointed out that Iran is prepared to "dilute" the enriched uranium it possesses. "It's not a big problem. We are willing to undergo verification processes," he detailed.
The president also denied that Tehran seeks to attack American citizens. "We do not seek to kill Americans, something that is demonstrated by the acts, by proven actions. The United States sought to kill Iranians," he denounced. "What we know is that, if we are attacked, we must defend ourselves," he added, emphasizing that Iran "will continue to resist" and "finding ways" to move forward despite the "economic problems" and pressure from Washington.
Pezeshkian rejected Trump's proposal regarding the possibility of postponing any agreement until after the midterm elections in November and considered that there is no reason to wait. "If the U.S. government, within the framework of international law, wants to reach an agreement, fine. If not, before or after the elections, what difference does it make to us?" he asked.
The leader insisted that Tehran's will is not to prolong the conflict. "We do not want to continue (the war). It is the United States that must choose whether it wants to end this or not," he stated. "We are determined to defend ourselves. We never sought war. We do not seek war," he emphasized, before stressing that, in his opinion, "humans should not cause the death of other humans." He also attributed the ultimate responsibility for the crisis to the "instigation" of Israel, which, he said, "imposed this war" in the Middle East.