Hormuz stays shut until US accepts Iran's 7-day deal: Araghchi

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed on Tuesday that Iran and the United States are still engaged in indirect talks through Pakistan and Qatar. He warned that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until Washington agrees to Iran's terms. Araghchi stated that Iran had proposed a seven-day plan under which the strategic waterway would fully reopen on the sixth day.

He mentioned that the US had agreed to the conditions but requested further stipulations. Araghchi emphasized that negotiations were ongoing and that if the US adhered to the proposed conditions, the strait would be fully reopened, paving the way for further rounds of discussions to reach a final agreement.

Iran is insisting on the US fulfilling all commitments under the Islamabad memorandum before addressing other issues. Araghchi denied Iran's involvement in recent developments in the Red Sea, stating that they had nothing to do with those matters. He also noted that neither Saudi Arabia nor the Houthis from Yemen had responded to Iran's offer to mediate their conflict.

Araghchi cautioned that any involvement of Egypt in Yemen would only further complicate the situation. He stressed that diplomacy, not sanctions or military threats, was the only viable path forward.

Iran's proposal for reopening the Strait of Hormuz within seven days, contingent on the US meeting seven conditions, was reportedly deemed "inadequate" by the US side. Iran's top security official, Mohsen Rezaei, reiterated that no enriched uranium would leave the country, rejecting a potential demand in the negotiations with the US.

In an X post, Rezaei described Iran's enriched nuclear material as a "major asset and national wealth" intended for domestic use. He stated that there would be no negotiations with Washington until the US took steps to build trust, starting with the full fulfillment of all Iran's conditions. This stance poses a significant hurdle to any potential nuclear arrangement, as Iran is unwilling to transfer its enriched uranium stockpile, while the US has sought substantial restrictions on Iranian enrichment.