Iran has been conducting intensive shuttle diplomacy through Qatari and Pakistani mediators to address regional tensions with the United States. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi made the remarks to Iran’s state news agency IRNA on Tuesday at the end of a visit to Turkmenistan.
Araghchi stated that Tehran had presented a clear plan and specific conditions for a diplomatic resolution. He added that the next step now rests entirely with Washington.
We have announced our specific conditions and presented our formulated plan, Araghchi told the state agency. He said everything depends on how much political rationality prevails on the American side and whether there is a will to take the wise path of diplomacy or, as in previous instances, to drag the situation toward aggression and military operations.
The foreign minister warned that Iran was prepared for both diplomatic and military scenarios more than ever before. He cautioned that any renewed military action or deception would draw a response far harsher and more regretful than before.
Tehran would not bow to coercion, Araghchi stressed. The reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the full resumption of negotiations depend on the unconditional acceptance of Iran’s rightful conditions.
Tensions between Tehran and Washington persist over the US naval blockade and security in the Strait of Hormuz. The waterway serves as a vital corridor for global energy shipments.
During his regional trip, Araghchi described strengthening relations with neighboring countries as an unchanging priority of Iranian foreign policy. He said the visit to Turkmenistan focused on advancing major bilateral projects in energy, transit, and economic cooperation.
Those discussions followed agreements reached by the presidents of Iran and Turkmenistan on the sidelines of the Commonwealth of Independent States summit in Awaza.
Asked about a separate visit to Beijing by Ali Bagheri Kani, deputy secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Araghchi addressed the consultations. He described the talks as part of Tehran’s continuing strategic and security engagement with key partners concerning regional peace and stability.
