Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi argued that the seven-point plan his country presented to the United States should be accepted. In an interview with NBC News on Sunday, Araghchi said the proposal was highly reasonable and that rejecting it without justification would be considered a mistake by the United States.
Araghchi said the plan had been delivered to the United States through mediators and that he had learned that U.S. President Donald Trump opposed the proposal, but added that Tehran had not yet received an official response.
Iran’s conditions for the United States
The Iranian minister said Tehran’s priorities included the release of frozen funds and assets and allowing his country to sell oil. Araghchi argued that the United States had assumed these obligations under agreements it had previously signed.
The Iranian delegation conveyed seven conditions to the United States through Qatari mediation during the work of the United Nations General Assembly to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Trump said on Saturday that Iran had not accepted the conditions.
Araghchi’s message on diplomacy
Araghchi said Iran was fully prepared to counter a new “attack” and resume the war. At the same time, the Iranian minister said they remained open to diplomacy and that the decision rested with Trump.
Araghchi claimed that the United States had been waging war for eight months without achieving results and argued that new attacks would meet the same outcome. Although he said the United States had attacked Iran repeatedly while negotiations were ongoing, the Iranian minister said no diplomatic opportunity for peace should be ruled out.
Dispute over the Strait of Hormuz
Following the work of the United Nations General Assembly, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian returned to his country, while Araghchi was set to remain in the United States until September 30.
Negotiations between the United States and Iran stalled over disputes concerning maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. Reopening the strait, which is strategically important for global energy and goods shipments, is one of the main elements of Iran’s seven conditions.
Araghchi said that following the start of the clashes on February 28, U.S. attacks on targets in Iran had continued, while Tehran had also carried out attacks on Israel and some locations in the region. Araghchi said thousands of people had been killed during this period and stated that, although the negotiations had stalled, the parties had signed a memorandum of understanding in mid-June.
