Iran has warned the United States against renewed military action, insisting that there is no military solution to the conflict and that negotiations based on “justice and fairness” remain the only path to ending the war.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi issued the warning on Sunday as diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict appeared to be at an impasse, with tensions remaining high over the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking at a gathering of foreign ambassadors, Araghchi said Iran would respond more forcefully if its adversaries again chose military confrontation.
“If our enemies again choose the path of military confrontation, our response will be stronger than before, and we will defend ourselves with even more force,” he said.
“There is no military solution, nor any solution based on new sanctions,” Araghchi added, stressing that only negotiations based on justice and fairness could end the conflict.
The statement came amid continued tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil and gas shipments. Iran has sought to restrict shipping through the waterway since the beginning of the war, while the United States has imposed a counterblockade on Iranian ports
On Sunday, the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency reported that a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz had been struck by an unknown projectile, damaging its engine room. The crew were reportedly safe, with no environmental impact recorded.
The agency did not identify the vessel’s origin or destination, disclose when the incident occurred or state whether it was an oil tanker or liquefied natural gas carrier.
The latest tensions followed a memorandum of understanding reached by Iran and the United States in June outlining a framework for a permanent resolution. However, Iranian attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz prompted a return to US military operations.
Iran has demanded a ceasefire across the Middle East, the unfreezing of its assets abroad, the lifting of sanctions on its oil sector and an end to the US naval blockade as conditions for reopening the strategic waterway.
Iranian and US officials held indirect talks last week on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, with Tehran presenting seven conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
US President Donald Trump rejected the proposal but left the possibility of further talks or renewed military operations open.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on Sunday that Washington had conveyed its response through intermediaries and that Tehran was reviewing the proposal.
“The Americans, through intermediaries, have also conveyed their views on this proposal, and these views are currently being examined inside the country through the relevant channels and procedures,” he said, according to Iran’s state news agency, IRNA.
Gharibabadi said Iran would take appropriate steps once its final position was determined, while also preparing for other possible scenarios.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the latest US counterproposal was in line with Washington’s previous proposals concerning nuclear issues.
He said Tehran remained focused on the Strait of Hormuz and insisted that reopening the waterway would require an end to disruptions to Iranian commercial maritime traffic and the lifting of sanctions.
The United States and Israel have said the war is necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, an objective Tehran has repeatedly denied pursuing. The focus of the conflict, however, has increasingly shifted towards reopening the Strait of Hormuz after its disruption sent shockwaves through global energy markets.
The United States has not carried out strikes against Iran since September 1 but has continued a military buildup in the region.
Meanwhile, Iran is facing growing queues at petrol stations amid the impact of the conflict. The country’s Oil Minister, Mohsen Paknejad, resigned on Sunday, with the presidency announcing that Hamid Bovard, chief executive of the National Iranian Oil Company, had been appointed acting Minister of Oil.
US media outlet Axios also reported that senior members of President Trump’s Cabinet met on Friday to discuss the conflict in Iran and the situation in Yemen, where Iran-backed Houthi forces have been fighting government forces and attacking Saudi Arabia.