Iran says diplomacy remains possible as Hormuz deal hangs in balance
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Friday that Tehran remains open to resolving its dispute with Washington through diplomacy, but warned that deep distrust of the United States must be addressed before meaningful negotiations can resume.
Speaking to CBS News after arriving in New York for the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, Pezeshkian said Iran wanted agreements with Washington to be respected and sought assurances that the United States did not intend to overthrow the Iranian government.
“As long as they don't cease doing what they're imposing on us every day, it's difficult to trust them,” Pezeshkian said, citing sanctions, threats and military strikes.
He also accused Washington of undermining negotiations through military action and questioned whether the United States was genuinely seeking a settlement. The United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran on Feb. 28, triggering Iranian retaliatory attacks against Israel and US positions across the region.
Pezeshkian said Tehran nevertheless wanted peace to be established in the region and called for an approach based on what he described as justice and fairness.
Tehran offers seven-day path to reopen Strait of Hormuz
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had conveyed a seven-day proposal to Washington through Qatar that could lead to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the resumption of negotiations on a final agreement.
Under the proposal, the seven-day period would begin once Washington accepts the plan. Araghchi said the United States would take measures during the first four or five days, allowing the waterway to reopen on the sixth day, with talks on a final agreement beginning on the seventh.
He said the measures sought from Washington were already contained in a memorandum of understanding reached in Islamabad in June.
“If there is seriousness on the US side to come to a deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, everything is now prepared,” Araghchi said.
Tehran has also demanded credible guarantees against renewed US attacks before returning to negotiations.
Guterres urges dialogue as Washington weighs pressure
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres met Pezeshkian on Friday and stressed the need to resolve the conflict through dialogue and negotiations.
The UN said Guterres emphasized respect for international law, including navigation rights and freedoms in and around the Strait of Hormuz, and reaffirmed the UN's willingness to support diplomatic efforts.
The United States has not publicly responded to Iran's seven-day proposal.
Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal reported that US President Donald Trump had rejected Tehran's proposed seven-day truce and that Washington did not intend to lift its naval blockade of Iranian ports.
According to the newspaper, US officials believe continued economic pressure could push Tehran toward an agreement on Washington's terms. The report also said Trump has privately expressed doubts that Iran would accept terms requiring the dismantling of its nuclear program.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard has reportedly rejected new settlement terms and has instead sought a return to elements of the preliminary June understanding.
Iran warns of wider regional air disruption
Separately, Tehran warned that restrictions on Iranian airlines could lead to broader disruption of regional air travel.
Mohammad Mokhber, a senior adviser to Iran's supreme leader, said Iran would not accept regional countries cooperating with what Tehran considers hostile US policies.
“Either air travel in the region is available to everyone or to no one,” Mokhber said in a post on X.
His remarks followed new restrictions on Iranian airlines. Iraq's Najaf International Airport suspended flights to and from Iran on Friday, while the United Arab Emirates suspended Iranian airline operations the previous day.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Iranian airlines' international operations would be targeted under new sanctions.
The developments come as negotiations remain stalled over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global route for energy and commercial shipping. Tehran says it remains committed to safe navigation but argues that renewed military action and sanctions have undermined the June understanding.
With Washington yet to respond publicly to Iran's latest proposal, diplomatic efforts remain focused on whether the two sides can restore the conditions needed for negotiations and reopen the strategic waterway.
Source:AA
