Iran says US must ease Strait of Hormuz demands, warns of military response
Iran's foreign ministry said Washington's proposals on denuclearisation do not address Tehran's focus on the Strait of Hormuz, and warned it is prepared for military action if the US pursues that route.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told Reuters that the United States' latest counter-proposal on Iran's nuclear programme mirrors earlier positions and does not address Tehran's priority, which he said is the security of the Strait of Hormuz. Baghaei said Iran expects "clear steps" from Washington to restore safety in the waterway and denied that Iran had offered to allow International Atomic Energy Agency inspections in exchange for sanctions relief.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that if the United States again moves toward military solutions, Iran is "more prepared than before" and will take necessary actions to defend itself. Araghchi said a Tehran-proposed plan could lead to the reopening of the strait within seven days, but emphasized that diplomatic progress depends on Washington's willingness to engage.
Parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf added that attacks on the strait will continue until seven Iranian conditions, based on the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, are met. He criticized what he described as a prolonged process of "dragging out" negotiations and one-sided demands.
Separately, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported that a commercial tanker was struck by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, damaging its engine room but causing no injuries or environmental damage. The incident underscores the heightened risk to shipping in the strategic chokepoint amid the broader Iran-US confrontation.
In related economic news, Iran's central bank announced a $2 billion dollar-sale programme to support the rial, which has fallen to a new low amid U.S. sanctions and a naval blockade that has cut oil export revenues.