Iran says Hormuz dispute must be settled through negotiations
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has rejected a military or sanctions-based solution to the conflict with the United States, while talks remain stalled over the Strait of Hormuz. A British maritime agency separately said a tanker reported damage from an unknown projectile, with its crew safe and no pollution reported.
Iran has said the conflict with the United States cannot be resolved through military action or additional sanctions, as negotiations remain deadlocked and tensions continue around the Strait of Hormuz. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi made the comments on Sunday while addressing foreign ambassadors. He warned that Iran would respond more forcefully if its opponents resumed military confrontation, but said only negotiations based on justice and fairness could end the conflict.
The dispute has increasingly centred on the strategic waterway, a major route for Gulf oil and gas shipments. Iran has sought to control traffic through the strait since the war began, striking vessels that it says attempted to pass without authorisation. The United States has imposed a counterblockade on Iranian ports and has attacked vessels it accuses of violating it.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency said on Sunday that a tanker had reported being struck by an unknown projectile, damaging its engine room. The crew was safe and no environmental impact was recorded. The agency did not identify the vessel or say when the incident occurred.
Iranian and US officials held indirect talks last week on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. Tehran said it had presented seven conditions for reopening the waterway, including a regional ceasefire, the release of frozen assets, the removal of oil sanctions and an end to the US naval blockade. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the latest US counterproposal remained focused on nuclear issues, while Tehran was prioritising the strait.
He said reopening it would require an end to disruption of Iranian commercial shipping and the lifting of sanctions. Washington and Israel have said the war is intended to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, an ambition Tehran denies. The United States has not attacked Iran since September 1, although Axios reported that it was reinforcing regional defences and moving the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier group towards the Middle East.
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