Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he hopes the United States will approach the crisis rationally and prefer diplomacy over a new military escalation. “We are doing what is necessary and we hope that the other side will have enough rationality to prefer diplomacy over other options. But we are fully ready for other options“, Araghchi said, as quoted by the Associated Press and Press TV.
Diplomatic consultations through mediators are continuing, he said, but no result has yet been achieved. The Iranian minister indicated that the next step depends on Washington's answers to the questions posed by Tehran. As of November 1, no direct meeting between American and Iranian representatives is scheduled, and contacts are being conducted through Qatar.
Strait of Hormuz Proposal
At the center of the talks is an Iranian proposal to partially resume shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. According to Al Jazeera, Tehran initially proposed this within seven days, but after mediation with Qatar, the deadline was shortened to two days if the United States met the conditions set.
Among Iran's demands are the lifting of the American naval blockade, the release of oil exports from sanctions restrictions, the unfreezing of Iranian assets abroad, and the cessation of American military actions on regional fronts. Tehran also insists that Washington recognize a shipping route through the strait agreed with Oman.
Diplomacy in the face of threats of new strikes
In parallel with the diplomatic signals, Iran has demonstrated readiness for a military response. Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei ordered the command to maintain readiness for an immediate response in the event of a new attack by the United States or Israel. According to Axios, the order provides for a response without geographical restrictions.
US President Donald Trump said that talks with Iran are going well, but added that Iranian authorities are not trustworthy. He also said that the United States still needs to deal with one or two targets in Iran. Thus, diplomatic contacts continue at the same time as public warnings and military preparations on both sides.
Sources: apnews.com, aljazeera.com, axios.com