The US and Iran could be headed towards another round of negotiations, even as tensions remain high. US President Donald Trump on Monday said “the right people” had reached out seeking a deal, while Iran’s envoy in Delhi signalled conditional openness to fresh talks but warned Tehran is prepared for “all options”.
“We’ve been called this morning by the right people, the appropriate people, and they want to work a deal,” Trump said at the White House, without elaborating on who participated in the conversation.
Trump spoke hours after the US moved to cut off vessels from transiting the vital waterway to and from Iranian ports and coastal areas, a step that could further inflame tensions amid the global energy crisis.
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Iran’s stance on second round of talks
Iranian ambassador to India Mohammad Fathali said Tehran is ready for another round of negotiations with the US provided there are no “unlawful demands”, even as it remains fully prepared for escalation if Washington proceeds with its blockade.
“If you want progress in any diplomatic process, [both] sides [should be] ready for negotiations. And they should avoid unlawful demands,” Fathali told a media briefing at the Iranian embassy. “Our high-ranking officials said we are ready for peace, we are ready for negotiations. But you should know that Iran is also ready for war.”
Fathali said Iran had presented several “key points” during the Islamabad talks, including the nuclear issue, war reparations and sanctions relief, but indicated that disagreements persist. “But I think that they [the US] have some unlawful demands,” he said.
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‘We are ready for all options’: Iranian envoy
On the US move to block Iranian ports, the envoy said Washington is “very well aware of our capacity and capabilities”. He added, “Our high-ranking officials have said they are ready for all options. You can see how in our response and reaction.”
While emphasising Iran’s commitment to international law and freedom of navigation, Fathali asserted that the Strait of Hormuz, effectively closed since the conflict began on February 28 – falls within “Iran’s territorial waters”.
He said Tehran will soon announce a mechanism for passage through the strait, but did not clarify whether Indian vessels would face transit charges.
Fresh talks depend on ‘US position’
“Iran announced that the Strait of Hormuz is [part of] the territorial waters of Iran and Oman, and we said that in the near future, we will announce the mechanism for the passage through this strait,” Fathali said.
Fathali underlined that the prospects of fresh talks hinge on the US position.
The future of the ceasefire “depends on the way they approach these negotiations”, he said, adding that Iran has formally indicated that “if they accept our condition, we should expect that we will have another [round of] negotiations”.
“They wanted to finish the war in three or four days but…the duration, the scope and the geography of the war are under our control. You can see this situation after the 42-day war,” he said.
