Iran to Respond to US Reply on Hormuz Proposal After Review, Spokesperson Says

Xinhua

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei.

Iran is reviewing a US response to its proposal on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and will reply to Washington through intermediaries once the assessment is complete, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday.

Speaking at a press conference, Baghaei said Tehran continued to exchange messages through intermediaries but provided no further details. Qatar and Pakistan, among others, have served as mediators in efforts to end the war, which began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran on 28 February.

After an interim ceasefire in June collapsed and intermittent strikes resumed, Iran submitted its proposal in mid-September and later confirmed that it had received a US response. However, the process has since stalled.

On Sunday, Iran’s security chief said Washington’s response had failed to adequately address Tehran’s seven conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and returning to negotiations.

A key point of disagreement is Washington’s insistence that Iran’s nuclear programme be addressed from the outset. Tehran, meanwhile, argues that initial negotiations should focus on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and restoring security in the waterway, which before the war carried around one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade.

Commenting on the escalating conflict between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthis, an ally of Iran, Baghaei reiterated Tehran’s readiness to help resolve the crisis through dialogue.

"The issue of Yemen should have been resolved a long time ago with the (UN) roadmap ⁠and we had said we would support any agreement reached by Yemenis and Saudis ... Our request is that this situation be resolved through dialogue."



PUKMEDIA