Iran Says It Will Answer US Response on Strait of Hormuz Proposal After Review

Iran's foreign ministry said on Monday that it is still examining a US reply to Tehran's proposal on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and will respond to Washington through intermediaries once that review is complete. Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told a press conference that messages continue to be exchanged via go-betweens, without giving details on their content. Qatar and Pakistan are among the countries that have served as mediators in efforts to end the war, which began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28.

The diplomatic track has stalled since Iran submitted its proposal in mid-September and later acknowledged receiving a US response. On Sunday, Iran's security chief said Washington's reply did not adequately address Tehran's seven conditions for reopening the strait and resuming negotiations. A key sticking point is the US insistence on tackling Iran's nuclear program from the start of any talks.

Tehran argues that negotiations should initially concentrate on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and restoring security in the waterway. Before the war, roughly a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas trade passed through the strait, making it a critical chokepoint for energy shipments. An interim ceasefire reached in June collapsed, and strikes have resumed on an intermittent basis since then.

Asked about the intensifying conflict between Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Houthis, an Iranian ally, Baghaei repeated that Tehran is willing to help resolve the crisis through dialogue. He said the Yemen issue should have been settled long ago under a UN roadmap, adding that Iran would support any agreement reached between the Yemenis and the Saudis. "Our request is that this situation be resolved through dialogue," he said.

The next step rests with Iran's internal review, after which its reply is expected to reach Washington through the same mediating channels. Until then, the proposal on the strait and the broader question of returning to negotiations remain unresolved.