ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday described Washington's attempt to broaden dialogue with Tehran as a “positive step” but ruled out immediate direct talks with US officials, as Iranian military leaders warned of wider retaliation if hostilities resume.
“The American side’s attempt to open the door to dialogue and understanding more broadly is a positive step,” Araghchi told Qatari state-funded Al Jazeera Media Network in a televised interview.
Araghchi said Iranian authorities had studied a letter sent by US Vice President JD Vance and discussed its contents during high-level meetings. He cautioned that any attempt by Washington to use the letter “to sow division would be another mistake.”
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)-affiliated Tasnim News Agency also reported on the letter on Thursday, adding that Tehran “has yet to respond to it.”
The remarks come amid intensified diplomatic efforts to prevent renewed fighting between Iran and the United States, as the conflict that erupted in late February continues to disrupt shipping through the STrait of Hormuz, a vital route for global energy supplies.
Araghchi dismissed reports of potential face-to-face negotiations with US officials as “merely media speculation,” saying Tehran had no immediate plans for such meetings.
“We see no need to meet with the Americans at present. Our conditions are clear, and mediators are continuing their consultations regarding them,” he added.
The foreign minister said an Iranian delegation had traveled to Qatar, where consultations were continuing with Qatari and Pakistani mediators. He added that proposals concerning Iran’s nuclear program were under review as part of a second phase of negotiations.
“The Qatari side proposed shortening the implementation period of the Iranian proposal to five days. We have reached a proposal at this stage that reduces the implementation period to two days,” said Araghchi.
Detailing Tehran's demands, Araghchi said, “Our conditions include lifting the sanctions imposed following the Islamabad memorandum and reducing US forces in the region. We demand the restoration of oil waivers and the release of all our frozen funds, including those held in Qatar.”
He also said Tehran was seeking recognition of specific shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz that it had discussed with Oman, alongside the closure of other routes.
“Reopening the Strait of Hormuz in accordance with our conditions paves the way for the resumption of negotiations with Washington regarding outstanding issues,” he added.
Despite describing the US outreach positively, Araghchi maintained that Tehran would not yield to Washington’s economic and military pressure.
“We will continue to stand firm and resist, and we will overcome this difficult phase through our own capabilities,” he said.
“We do not rule out any possibility regarding the outbreak of war, and we are prepared for all scenarios,” Araghchi said. “We have upgraded our weaponry, addressed our vulnerabilities, and tested new arms; our forces are at the highest level of readiness”
His remarks came as Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei on Saturday directed senior military commanders to prepare for an immediate response without “geographical limits” to any renewed attacks on the country.
“Every level and type of threat must be met with an immediate and effective response, without geographical limitations,” Khamenei said in a statement carried by Iranian state media.
Echoing the warning, Iran’s armed forces Chief of Staff Ali Abdollahi said Saturday that the military was closely monitoring US movements using its “full intelligence capabilities” and updating its list of potential targets.
“Our response will be immediate, effective, and without geographical limitations,” Abdollahi wrote on X.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said Friday that the war with Iran would end soon.
"It's going to get wrapped up soon," Trump told Kansas City radio station KCMO. "We need a guarantee there'll never be a nuclear weapon."
Diplomatic efforts across the region have intensified this week. On Monday, senior officials from Turkey, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia, members of the regional Mecca Defense Pact, held a quadrilateral meeting in Tehran with Iranian officials, including Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei, as part of efforts to prevent renewed hostilities.
The delegations also met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Araghchi. The four countries agreed to continue consultations, although no concrete agreement to end the conflict was announced.
Washington and Tehran signed the Pakistan-brokered Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in mid-June, establishing an initial framework for ending hostilities and pursuing a broader diplomatic settlement.
MoU has failed to produce a lasting settlement. Tensions escalated again in mid-July when the US resumed its naval blockade of Iranian ports and carried out strikes against Iranian military targets.
The Strait of Hormuz has remained a major point of contention, with continued attacks on commercial vessels despite some recovery in shipping traffic.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a British maritime security monitor, said Friday that it had recorded 88 incidents involving vessels in the strait since the conflict began.
According to UKMTO’s latest weekly figures, the strait recorded 122 outbound and 155 vessel transits, compared with 114 outbound and 127 inbound movements the previous week.
Despite the increase, overall traffic remained approximately 70 percent below pre-war levels.
