TEHRAN : Araghchi said on Saturday that Tehran had made no decision on restarting talks with Washington, despite continued diplomatic efforts by regional mediators. Qatar and Pakistan are exchanging messages and remain in contact with Iran, he said, stressing that such communication should not be interpreted as formal negotiations.
Diplomatic efforts to revive an interim peace arrangement have struggled to make progress, with Tehran and Washington accusing each other of failing to honour earlier commitments. Iran has blamed the United States for the renewed violence following an agreement reached in June.
Araghchi said a new framework would now have to be established to find a way out of the conflict.
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At the same time, Iran is working separately with Oman on technical arrangements for new shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy corridors.
“The routes that previously existed are no longer functional, and a new route must be defined,” Araghchi said, adding that Iran was designing a temporary route that could eventually form the basis of a permanent arrangement.
Iran and Oman have been holding negotiations over new shipping lanes in the strait, with both sides reported to have made significant progress in recent weeks. However, Tehran has maintained that an agreement with Oman alone would not automatically lead to a full reopening of the waterway.
Araghchi said the resumption of shipping traffic would depend on other conditions being fulfilled by the United States. Iran has previously demanded measures including the lifting of sanctions, the release of frozen Iranian assets and an end to what it describes as US aggression.
His comments came amid a fresh escalation in rhetoric over the Strait of Hormuz after US President Donald Trump said he would “soon” declare the strategic waterway US territory after defeating Iran.
Iran swiftly rejected the statement.
Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi said the Strait of Hormuz “has been Iranian, is Iranian, and will remain Iranian”, adding that Tehran would determine when the waterway was opened or closed.
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