Hormuz strait open to ‘friendly nations’, ‘message exchange not dialogue’: Iran’s Araghchi

“You have seen on the news: China, Russia, Pakistan, Iraq, and India. Two of its ships passed through a few nights ago, and some other countries, and even Bangladesh, I believe. These are countries that spoke with us and coordinated with us, and this will continue in the future as well, even after the war,” he added.

He also indicated that the countries that are involved in the ongoing war will not be allowed the passage.

“We are in a state of war. The region is a war zone, and there is no reason to allow the ships of our enemies and their allies to pass through. But it remains open to others,” he said.

Araghchi denies US talks, says only mediated messages exchanged

Araghchi said that Tehran did not hold any talks with the United States and that his country does not plan to hold any negotiations “with the enemy”, contrary to the claims from Washington about ongoing engagement.

“No negotiations have happened with the enemy until now, and we do not plan on any negotiations,” Araghchi said in an interview with Iranian state TV.

However, the Iranian FM did agree to receive a proposal from Washington and said that his country was reviewing it and that there was an exchange of messages between both sides via mediators.

“Messages being ⁠conveyed through our friendly countries and us responding by stating our positions or issuing the necessary warnings is not called negotiation or dialogue,” Araghchi said in his state television interview.

Iran wants to make a deal ‘so badly’ but is ‘afraid to say it,’ says Trump

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said that Iran wants to make a deal “so badly” but “they’re afraid to say it”.

“Nobody’s ever seen anything like we’re doing in the Middle East with Iran, and they are negotiating, by the way, and they want to make a deal so badly, but they’re afraid to say it because they figure they’ll be killed by their own people. They’re also afraid they’ll be killed by us,” Trump said at a fundraising dinner for the House GOP campaign arm in Washington.