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Iran open to more talks with US, but prepared for all options including war: Envoy
Iranian ambassador Mohammad Fathali said the future of the ceasefire “depends on the way they approach these negotiations”
Iran is ready for another round of negotiations with the US provided there are no “unlawful demands”, though Tehran is fully prepared for “all options” if Washington goes ahead with its blockade of Iranian ports, Iranian ambassador Mohammad Fathali said on Monday.
The first face-to-face talks between Iran and the US in 47 years, held in Islamabad over the weekend, ended without any breakthrough. US President Donald Trump has imposed a naval blockade of ships entering or leaving Iranian ports as part of efforts to pressure Tehran amid a two-week ceasefire.
“If you want progress in any diplomatic process, [both] sides [should be] ready for negotiations. And they should avoid unlawful demands,” Fathali told a media briefing at the Iranian embassy. “Our high-ranking officials said we are ready for peace, we are ready for negotiations. But you should know that Iran is also ready for war.”
The Iranian side had unveiled some “key points” during the negotiations held in Islamabad, including the nuclear issue, war reparations and relief from sanctions, Fathali said. “But I think that they [the US] have some unlawful demands,” he said.
When Fathali was asked about the US blockade of Iranian ports, he said the American side is “very well aware of our capacity and capabilities”. He added, “Our high-ranking officials have said they are ready for all options. You can see how in our response and reaction.”
While emphasising Iran’s belief in international law and freedom of navigation, Fathali contended that the Strait of Hormuz – which has been effectively closed since the conflict began on February 28 – is part “Iran’s territorial waters”. Iran, he said, will soon announce a mechanism for using the waterway but declined to say whether Indian ships will have to pay a toll for passage through the strait.
“Iran announced that the Strait of Hormuz is [part of] the territorial waters of Iran and Oman, and we said that in the near future, we will announce the mechanism for the passage through this strait,” Fathali said.
India tracks West Asia conflict
Meanwhile, external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told a separate media briefing that India is closely following developments in West Asia, including those related to the Strait of Hormuz.
“As we have continuously advocated earlier, de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy are essential to bring an early end to the conflict. We expect that unimpeded freedom of navigation and global flow of commerce would prevail in the Strait of Hormuz,” Jaiswal said.
Fathali said the success of any further negotiations depends on the US avoiding “unlawful demands” and recognising Iran’s “legitimate rights and interests”. The future of the ceasefire “depends on the way they approach these negotiations”, he said. The Iranian side has formally announced that “if they accept our condition, we should expect that we will have another [round of] negotiations”, he said.
The envoy also said Iran had agreed to join the latest negotiations despite its experience of being attacked by Israel and the US even while negotiations were underway last year and in early 2026. The military strikes by Israel and the US have killed 3,753 people, including 887 women and 221 children under the age of 18, and injured more than 30,000, including 4,989 women and 1,979 children, Fathali said, citing official figures.
“They wanted to finish the war in three or four days but…the duration, the scope and the geography of the war are under our control. You can see this situation after the 42-day war,” he said.
The Iranian side has maintained “good contacts” with the Indian government amid the conflict, Fathali said, pointing to phone calls between the two leadership of both sides. “I believe Iran and India have common interests…and…a common fate in the region,” he said.
