Iran and the US are not engaged in talks and Tehran will not start them as long as Washington breaches an interim deal signed in June, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday, adding that messages are being exchanged via intermediaries.
Araghchi repeated Iran's position that an agreement on the Strait of Hormuz between Tehran and Muscat was in the "final stages" but would not reopen the strategic waterway.
In comments carried by Mehr news agency, he said the agreement would set out the new shipping lanes to be used once the US fulfils other conditions and the strait is reopened to traffic.
Iran ‘stands firmly’ by memorandum
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian yesterday accused Washington of violating the June memorandum by pursuing alternative shipping arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz instead of adhering to procedures to be jointly agreed by Iran and Oman.
On June 18, Iran and the US signed a memorandum of understanding through Pakistani and Qatari mediation, ending active hostilities and launching negotiations towards a final agreement.
The talks later stalled over disputes over maritime security and freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical export route for Gulf oil and gas.
"You will not find a single clause in the memorandum in which we gave anything away," Pezeshkian said, adding that Tehran "stands firmly" behind what it signed.
IRGC says Hormuz reopening a separate issue
Iran's Revolutionary Guard on Sunday said they would not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until the United States accepts all of Tehran's demands.
"Our current strategy is to maintain this strait until the enemy accepts all our conditions," said IRGC spokesman Hossein Mohebi, as quoted by state TV, adding that "the strait is now actually a theatre of war for us and not just a waterway".
Tensions in the Middle East escalated on February 28 when Israel and the US launched coordinated attacks on Iran targeting military, nuclear and energy infrastructure.
Tehran responded with missile and drone attacks on Israeli and US targets across the region.
