Iran will not make concessions on its nuclear program even if the United States agrees to Tehran’s conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Friday.
The official, who spoke anonymously, said the strategically important waterway would remain closed until “all of Iran’s conditions are met" by Washington.
Iran’s proposal, reported earlier by The Associated Press, would see Tehran reopen the Strait of Hormuz and return to nuclear negotiations within seven days if the United States lifts its naval blockade of Iranian ports, removes sanctions on Iranian oil exports and agrees to a ceasefire that would also cover Lebanon.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi presented the proposal during a private meeting Thursday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, according to an attendee cited by the AP.
Iran’s UN mission and other Iranian officials did not immediately comment. A source familiar with the discussions told the AP that Saudi Arabia remained skeptical of the latest diplomatic initiative.
The Strait of Hormuz has emerged as a key bargaining point in the negotiations. Washington is demanding unrestricted passage through the waterway, while Tehran is seeking an end to the naval blockade and could also seek the release of frozen Iranian assets.
The latest comments came a day after another senior Iranian official suggested that a phased agreement could offer a way out of the crisis.
At the same time, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian indicated Thursday that Tehran wants to reach an agreement with Washington before the US midterm elections in November.
“We don’t want it to get to the midterm elections," Pezeshkian said during a brief meeting with NBC News and other media outlets on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
“We wish Americans to return to the MOU before the midterms," Pezeshkian added, referring to a memorandum of understanding reached between the two countries in June that outlined a temporary ceasefire before subsequently collapsing.
The diplomatic efforts follow President Donald Trump’s UN General Assembly speech Tuesday, in which he highlighted the threat posed by Iran and reiterated his opposition to Tehran obtaining a nuclear weapon.
"There is no better example of a danger that was allowed to gather strength at the world’s peril than the number one sponsor of terror, the Islamic Republic of Iran. From the first day I entered the political arena, I have been unwavering - I will NEVER allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon."
Trump said he faces a major decision over the future of US policy toward Iran but expressed confidence that an agreement could ultimately be reached following the midterm elections.
"I have a big decision to make. Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before, maybe one of the greatest in the Middle East or even the world? Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again? Do I drive them into hell with no chance of survival and no hope of future greatness for generations? But I believe we’ll make a deal right after the election, because it doesn’t make sense for them not to."
(Arutz Sheva-Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Sukkot in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)