Iran has called on the United States to accept its conditions under a proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, following remarks by President Donald Trump suggesting “positive momentum” toward ending the eight-month conflict.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Iran’s IRNA news agency that the war cannot be settled through military force or by tightening sanctions. He said the only viable path is a respectful, diplomatic approach that addresses Iran’s demands and conditions, which he noted were set out in the two-day proposal and remain on the table.
Under the plan, Tehran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz—blockaded since the war began—within two days in exchange for Washington meeting a series of conditions. These include ending the war on all fronts, unfreezing Iranian assets, lifting oil sanctions and halting the US counter-blockade of Iranian ports.
Trump, whose Republican Party lost midterm elections last week owing in part to the war, said on Monday that there was “positive momentum” toward ending the conflict after meeting Qatar’s prime minister at the White House. In a social media post, he reiterated that the US was “locked and loaded” but described further strikes as “quite unlikely,” noting that key Gulf allies “would prefer the status quo.” He added that his administration would ensure America’s interests are protected at all times.
Diplomatic efforts led by Qatar and Pakistan are under way to find a resolution to the war, which broke out in late February when US-Israeli strikes killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Also on Tuesday, Iran’s security chief, Mohsen Rezaei, urged Washington to “surrender” to Iranian demands. In a post on X, Rezaei, who heads Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said the war had already “wrecked the US government” and accused Washington of behaving like a desperate gambler. He called on the US to “fold your hand” and stop “manufacturing fake news about imaginary talks.”
