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Iran offers to ‘reopen’ Strait of Hormuz, but sets conditions for US on sanctions, military pressure
As Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian heads to New York for the UNGA session, all eyes are on potential Iran-US talks as Middle East tensions continue to simmer.
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Amid the escalating tensions between Iran and the US, Iran on Tuesday offered to end Strait of Hormuz standoff, but set conditions for the US. Iran can reopen the key energy passage within seven days if the United States eases military pressure and lifts its blockade on Iranian ports, a senior Iranian official was quoted as saying by Reuters on Tuesday.
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The remarks come amid Iran's military central command warning of a retaliation without ‘ limitations and considerations’ over reports of the US US preparing to restart military operations with the support of regional countries.
"The US needs to announce that it wants to resolve the issue diplomatically, make that official, and then agree on a timeline for how the process will move forward", the senior Iranian official was quoted as saying.
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The official also warned that the Iranian delegation to the United Nations General Assembly is in New York and has full authority to revive diplomacy with the United States.
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian, who left Tehran for New York on Tuesday morning, will not meet U.S. President Donald Trump at the UN headquarters in New York, the official told Reuters.
The Iranian official said details on an agreement to end hostilities with Washington can be discussed in New York via mediators, explaining that Tehran's proposal was delivered to the US via mediators on September 16.
"The UN General Assembly is a golden opportunity for the US to return to diplomacy", the official said, adding that Tehran would welcome a revival of diplomacy if Washington takes tangible steps.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday the US is open to speaking with Iranians at the UN General Assembly, though no meeting is scheduled so far.
"We're open to that. I don't think anything is scheduled at this point, but we're certainly open to something like that, especially if it has the prospects of leading to something positive and ultimately achieving the goal of what this is all about," Rubio said in an interview with NBC's "Today" show.
"And that is the fact that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon. They just simply can't."
