Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Monday that regional disputes should be settled through diplomacy and blamed the United States for insecurity and tensions in the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Tehran, Araqchi urged Gulf countries to pursue a joint security arrangement without foreign military forces.
Araqchi said Iran would support initiatives that create security from within the region. His comments came as indirect efforts continued to end the conflict between Iran and the United States and restore commercial shipping through the strategic waterway.
Mediators have been discussing a proposal that would reopen the strait, lift the U.S. The plan also includes an arrangement Iran has discussed with Oman to manage shipping temporarily, with no tolls on vessels.
The proposal also sought the release of frozen Iranian assets and relief from restrictions on Iranian oil sales, while U.S. Officials have demanded concrete progress on Iran’s nuclear program, including access for inspectors.
The main dispute has been the order in which the steps would occur. Qatar has relayed messages between the two sides, and Araqchi was due to discuss Washington’s response after returning to Tehran. The negotiations followed the collapse of a June memorandum that had included provisions on the strait and Iran’s nuclear activities.
A separate escalation involving Iran-backed Houthi forces near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait has added pressure on maritime traffic and energy markets.