Can open Strait of Hormuz within seven days; ready for talks with US, says Iran

TEHRAN: Iran has said it can reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days if the US reduces its military pressure and agrees to lift the blockade on Iranian ports. Iran has also expressed its willingness to hold talks with the US to resolve the crisis.

The shift in Iran’s position comes as the country faces economic difficulties after crude oil exports were halted due to the blockade of its ports and disruptions to shipping. A senior Iranian government official told Japanese news agency Kyodo that the new proposal had received the approval of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei and the Supreme National Security Council.

It is not yet clear whether talks will take place on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. The official ruled out the possibility of a meeting between Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and US President Donald Trump. However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that Washington is ready to hold talks with Iranian representatives if necessary.

The US and Israel launched attacks against Iran on February 28. A ceasefire was announced in April through Pakistan’s mediation, and the two countries signed the ‘Islamabad Memorandum’ in June. However, after attacks between the two sides resumed, the US imposed a blockade on Iranian ports, while Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has conveyed its latest proposal to the US administration through mediators.