Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran is fully prepared for renewed war but remains open to diplomacy, as tensions with the US continue over the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said Tehran is prepared for the possibility of renewed war while remaining open to diplomacy, as tensions with the United States continue to escalate over the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking in an interview on Sunday, Araghchi said Iran was not concerned about the upcoming US midterm elections and would instead focus on its national interests. He said Tehran was ready to negotiate but was equally prepared to face any new challenge.
“We are fully prepared for the war to be resumed,” Araghchi said, adding that Iran would stand firm against any new aggression, even if it escalated into what he described as a “doomsday war”. At the same time, he said Tehran remained ready for diplomacy and that the choice was now with US President Donald Trump.
Iran Says It Is Ready For Diplomacy
Araghchi’s remarks came as Tehran continued to push for a negotiated settlement even after Trump rejected Iran’s latest proposal linked to reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran said on Sunday that it was still waiting for Washington’s formal position through mediators. Araghchi said Tehran had heard Trump’s initial reaction but had not yet received the US position through the mediators.
Earlier this week, Iran presented a seven-day roadmap under which the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened and negotiations with Washington resumed. The proposal was conveyed to the US through Qatari mediators.
On Sunday, Araghchi reiterated that Iran’s conditions for reopening the strategic waterway remained unchanged. He said any move towards reopening the Strait or advancing negotiations would depend on Tehran’s conditions being met.
Araghchi: Iran Not Concerned About US Midterms
Araghchi also dismissed the significance of the November US midterm elections for Iran’s decision-making.
“We don’t care about US midterm elections; we care about our national interest,” he said, stressing that Tehran was prepared to negotiate while also preparing for any possible escalation.
The comments come after Trump publicly rejected Iran’s proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the fighting. Tehran, however, has maintained that it is awaiting a formal response through diplomatic channels.