Staff Correspondent

Iran has said it is keeping the door open for a diplomatic solution with the United States while preparing to respond firmly to any renewed attack. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran is ready for negotiations but also retains the capability to confront any aggression.

An Iranian delegation is currently in New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly. During the visit, efforts to revive indirect talks with the United States through Qatari mediation have also gained momentum.

Speaking to US broadcaster NBC News, Araghchi said Iran wants to resolve the crisis through peace and diplomacy. However, he said Tehran would not back down in the face of aggression and warned that the conflict could reach a stage with extremely serious consequences.

Araghchi reiterated the same position in a post on X. He said he and President Masoud Pezeshkian had not travelled to New York to campaign for war, but rather to pursue peace. At the same time, he said Iran was prepared for “real diplomacy.”

Proposal on the Strait of Hormuz

Last week, Iran sent a proposal to the United States through Qatari mediation. Araghchi said the proposal included a plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days under certain conditions.

However, US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he had rejected Iran’s proposal. Later, US news outlet Axios reported that Trump had indicated the possibility of talks with Iran in the near future. The report also said indirect talks between the two countries could take place on Monday through Qatari mediation.

Iranian news agency ISNA reported that an Iranian delegation led by Araghchi was scheduled to meet mediators on Monday morning local time to discuss the latest proposal and the ongoing situation.

However, Iranian media outlet Tasnim reported that Tehran has no plans for direct talks with the United States.

Conflicting Claims Over Hormuz

In a message, Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Ali Khamenei claimed that the activities of Iran’s armed forces and units responsible for security in the Strait of Hormuz had forced “enemy forces” to withdraw from Iranian waters in the southern part of the country.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM), however, rejected Iran’s claim of having “full control” over the Strait of Hormuz. In a post on X, CENTCOM said large volumes of oil had been transported through the strategic waterway in recent months, which it said did not support Tehran’s claim of complete control over the strait.

Iran Denies Allegations Over UK Base Incident

Meanwhile, Iran’s embassy in London has rejected allegations that Tehran was involved in a bomb scare near a military base in the United Kingdom used by the United States.

Earlier, British police arrested five people after several vans travelled towards RAF Fairford in western England. The suspects, aged between 23 and 25, are all British nationals. They were later released on bail by a court.

Investigators are examining the circumstances and possible motives behind the incident, including any potential Iran-related connection as well as other possibilities.