ASIa Pacific News Agency Report: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated on Sunday (Sep 27) that Iran is ready to fight a "doomsday war" with the United States, yet he has not abandoned diplomatic channels so as not to "miss any chance for peace".
(Screenshot Source: CNBC)
Araghchi made the remarks in an interview with NBC News' Meet the Press after the conclusion of the UN General Assembly last week.
Since February 28, the intermittent warfare between the United States and Iran has sent shocks through the global oil market, driving gasoline prices sharply higher and further amplifying inflationary pressures.
Araghchi said: "If you ask us, we have no reason to return to the diplomatic negotiating table, yet I am still trying to resolve issues through diplomacy because I believe we should not miss any opportunity for peace."
He stated: "We are ready for negotiations just as we are ready to meet any challenge... We will respond firmly to any aggression against us, even if it eventually turns into a 'doomsday war'."
Last Friday, Araghchi proposed that if the Trump administration accepts Iran’s terms, Tehran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and resume nuclear negotiations with the United States within seven days.
U.S. President Donald Trump has recently rejected this Iranian proposal. The plan could have reopened the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. During the war, Iran severely disrupted this maritime passage, restricting oil and natural gas exports from the PeRSIan Gulf region.
The Wall Street Journal reported that in addition to turning down Iran’s proposal, Trump also said he expects to resume bombing Tehran after the U.S. midterm elections in November.
In another NBC News interview, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Michael Waltz said Iran’s recent proposal was a "cynical attempt" to "put on the table a plan they know full well the United States cannot accept."
Waltz stated: "The President retains all options to ensure the world is not held hostage by an Iran armed with nuclear weapons."
Despite rejection by Trump, Iran maintains its original position that it will only reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz if its conditions are met. At the same time, senior Iranian military leaders have emphASIzed that the country stands ready to continue combat operations.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran claimed on Sunday that it seized an unmanned U.S. submarine.
In a post published on his Telegram channel, Araghchi said: "Our terms are crystal clear; any progress toward reopening the Strait of Hormuz hinges on these conditions being met, and we will not back down on these terms."
He noted during his attendance at the UN General Assembly in New York: "These conditions have been fully communicated, explained and elaborated in our talks with mediators, who then relayed them to the U.S. side."
In his latest statement, Araghchi said mediators between the U.S. and Iran have not yet conveyed an official response from Trump’s side to Tehran.
He said: "Only a negotiated settlement can break this deadlock."
Esmaeil Baghaei, spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said last week that Tehran’s conditions include an end to what it calls U.S. "acts of aggression", termination of maritime blockades and the "economic war", plus the release of frozen Iranian assets.
Meanwhile, Iranian military leaders continue to stress that the nation is prepared to keep fighting. The war broke out on February 28 when the United States and Israel launched airstrikes against Iran.
According to Iran’s Student News Agency (ISNA), Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Amir Hatami stated: "The war is not over."
He said: "We have achieved victory, yet we must consolidate this victory. The aggressor enemy, which has suffered heavy blows, must remain ready to endure heavier strikes from the soldiers of our beloved Iran."