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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said a resumption of diplomacy with the United States is not impossible as the war between the two countries reached the six-month mark. The minister posted on X that the key is for the US to understand that pressure does not work. Araghchi made the remarks after meeting his Qatari counterpart in Tehran to discuss the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran shut at the beginning of the conflict, according to an AFP report.
The conflict began in late February when the United States and Israel launched military action against Iran. A ceasefire was reached in April and the sides signed a memorandum of understanding in June laying the groundwork for a permanent peace agreement. Progress has since stalled as Washington declared economic warfare on Tehran.
Araghchi told his interlocutors that the US must build trust, speak respectfully, acknowledge Iran’s rights and uphold its commitments under the June memorandum. The document requires the lifting of the US counter-blockade and the removal of sanctions in exchange for reopening the vital waterway. Iranian lawmaker Esmail Kowsari reiterated to state television that if the memorandum was not implemented and the US does not respect its commitments, not only will the Strait of Hormuz remain closed, but the United States must be ready for our offensive actions and we will seek them in the most distant places.
US Senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued a statement criticising the Trump administration’s handling of the conflict. Reed said six months later not a single objective has been achieved and that the president has weakened the US position in the Middle East and the world significantly. The senator’s assessment came as sporadic attacks continue around the Strait of Hormuz despite the April ceasefire.
Iran has endured decades of international sanctions and analysts question how much additional pressure the US can exert without cooperation from China. Beijing continues to purchase Iranian crude oil via overland routes that bypass the blocked strait, an important source of revenue for Tehran. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that no one is above the reach of American sanctions ahead of a planned September visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Washington.
Mediators from Pakistan, Qatar and Oman have worked to revive talks in recent weeks with limited success. Tehran has prepared conditions for reopening the strait while maintaining that the waterway will stay shut until the US meets its obligations. The economic measures have squeezed petrol supplies inside Iran amid domestic production shortfalls.
