Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said there is “no military solution” to the conflict between the United States and Iran, stating that the two sides can only reach an agreement through negotiations based on justice, fairness and reciprocal steps.
Addressing foreign ambassadors and diplomats in Tehran on Sunday, Araghchi rejected both military action and additional sanctions as ways to resolve the conflict. He warned, however, that Iran would respond more forcefully if its adversaries again chose military confrontation.
“The United States has lost in both war and diplomacy in the past. Trying new sanctions will not benefit them either. There is no military solution and no solution based on further sanctions,” Araghchi said.
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He added that the only way forward was a negotiated and “dignified diplomatic solution”, while warning Washington that the era of “wasting time and dictating demands” was over.
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Tehran has maintained that diplomacy remains possible, but says any negotiations must involve reciprocal measures rather than unilateral demands from Washington.
That position has also shaped Iran's stance on negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global oil shipments.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf delivered a sharper message to Washington, saying the period of delaying negotiations and imposing unilateral demands had ended, according to Iranian state-linked media outlet Nournews.
Qalibaf said the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until seven Iranian conditions set out in a June memorandum of understanding were fulfilled.
He also said Iran had proposed at the United Nations General Assembly that maritime traffic through the strait could resume within seven days if the agreed conditions were met. Reuters reported that the United States later responded to the proposal through Qatari intermediaries.
A person briefed on the negotiations told Reuters that the main disagreement was over the sequencing of measures rather than necessarily the substance of a potential agreement.
Iranian officials have said Tehran is studying the US response while continuing to pursue diplomatic options.
Strait Of Hormuz Remains Key Sticking Point
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran's immediate priority was finding a solution that would restore peace and stability in the Strait of Hormuz, Al Jazeera reported.
Baghaei said Washington remained focused on negotiations over Iran's nuclear programme, while Tehran was primarily seeking the reopening of the strategic waterway.
Reuters also reported that Iran has rejected claims that it offered expanded nuclear inspections in exchange for sanctions relief. Tehran has said it has not entered into a new nuclear negotiation with Washington at this stage.
While Iranian officials continue to call for diplomacy, they have also warned that Tehran remains prepared for a military confrontation.
Reuters had separately reported that Iran was preparing for a potentially broader and more forceful response if Washington resumes large-scale military attacks.
The competing positions highlight the gap between Washington and Tehran over how the conflict should end. Iran is calling for reciprocal steps and an end to unilateral demands, while the US is seeking progress on issues including Iran's nuclear programme.
For now, Tehran says it remains open to negotiations but will not accept a process based solely on demands from Washington. At the same time, Iranian officials continue to insist that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until their seven conditions are met.
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