New Delhi : Iran has indicated that it could reopen the strategically important Strait of Hormuz within seven days if the United States eases military pressure and lifts its blockade on Iranian ports, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Tuesday. The official said Tehran was prepared to revive diplomatic engagement with Washington, with the Iranian delegation attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York authorised to pursue negotiations through intermediaries. According to the official, Iran has already conveyed a proposal to the United States through mediators on September 16. Tehran wants Washington to formally signal its willingness to resolve the confrontation through diplomacy and agree on a timeline for the process.
Also Read: Four Bangladeshi nationals, Indian man detained in Sribhumi cattle smuggling probe
The development comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and the US. Iran’s military central command said on Sunday that it had been informed of possible US military operations with the support of regional countries and warned that any renewed action could trigger retaliation. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian travelled to New York on Tuesday to attend the UN General Assembly. However, the Iranian official said Pezeshkian was not scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump at the UN headquarters. The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial global energy shipping route, and disruptions there have affected oil markets and international trade. Reuters reported that oil prices had risen earlier on Tuesday as markets awaited developments surrounding possible US-Iran diplomacy. Iran’s reported offer also came with an emphasis on tangible US steps before diplomacy could resume. The Iranian official described the UN General Assembly as an opportunity for Washington to return to negotiations.
However, a semi-official Fars News report later denied reports that Iran had made an offer linking the reopening of the Strait to the lifting of the US blockade, describing such reports as invalid and untrue. The differing accounts underline the uncertainty surrounding diplomatic efforts as Washington and Tehran remain engaged in a tense standoff.
