Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi confirmed that Tehran will not fully open the Strait of Hormuz to navigation unless an understanding is reached with Washington.
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Araqchi said in an interview with Al-Iraqiya News Channel that Washington’s commitment to the pledges of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding is a condition for moving to negotiations on other issues, adding that the three rounds of negotiations with Washington ended with wars being waged on Iran and proved that it is impossible to trust its pledges.
He pointed out that the seven-day initiative aims to keep the diplomatic door open, provided that previous understandings are adhered to, adding that it is Washington that is obstructing the diplomatic path and closing the doors to negotiations, not Tehran.
Araghchi considered that Washington’s implementation of its previous commitments would allow the opening of the Strait of Hormuz and the start of additional rounds of negotiations leading to a final agreement. He added that they would not fully open the Strait of Hormuz to navigation unless they reached an understanding with Washington, and that the continued absence of an agreement meant that restrictions on the movement of ships in the Strait of Hormuz would remain.
Araghchi said that negotiations with the American side are continuing through mediating countries, including Qatar and Pakistan, and that they have presented a seven-day initiative that includes opening the Strait of Hormuz on the sixth day if the American side accepts and adheres to the Iranian conditions.
He added that the American side informed them of its agreement to the proposed conditions, but that they had put forward their own conditions, noting that the details of these conditions could not be disclosed at the present time.
He explained that Iran’s main demand is for the United States to commit to all the pledges contained in the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding that was signed previously, stressing that after the implementation of those pledges, it is possible to move to negotiations that address other issues, leading to the final negotiation stage that allows both parties to raise all issues of interest and reach a comprehensive agreement on them.
He stressed that the doors of diplomacy are open and the negotiating table is available, and the world must realize that it is the American side that is obstructing the diplomatic process and closing its doors, not Iran.
Regarding the recent developments in the Strait of Hormuz, Araqchi stressed that the Iranian position on the strait is clear and firm, which is that it will not be fully opened to navigation unless an understanding is reached with the American side, and that any ship that tries to cross this waterway will face major security problems.
He stressed that America has not been able to achieve its goals in the war against Iran, despite more than eight or nine months having passed since its outbreak, considering that the failure to achieve those goals represents a strategic defeat for Washington and a strategic success for Tehran, stressing that Iran will not surrender under the weight of economic sanctions or military threats.
Regarding the legal status of the Strait of Hormuz, Araqchi said that the strait is located within the territorial waters of Iran and the Sultanate of Oman, and that Tehran and Muscat recently reached an agreement on determining special routes for ships to enter and exit through the strait. A map of these routes and their geographical coordinates has been prepared, and these routes will be the approved routes for ships to pass through if an understanding is reached that allows the strait to be reopened.
Regarding developments in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, Araqchi denied that Iran was a direct party to the ongoing developments there, stressing that the events in the Red Sea are related to their own circumstances and causes and are not related to Iran, and that the recent developments in Bab al-Mandab came within the framework of Ansar Allah’s efforts to break the economic blockade imposed on Yemen for more than twelve years.
He explained that Iran had announced its readiness to mediate between Saudi Arabia and Yemen with the aim of ending the conflict, but it has not yet received a response from either side.
Regarding the nature of the relationship between Iran and Hezbollah and Ansar Allah, Araqchi stressed that the two movements are not groups affiliated with Iran, but rather enjoy independence in making their decisions, and that the existence of political relations and Iranian support for these two movements does not necessarily mean that they receive orders or instructions from Tehran.