by Garrison Vance, Natural News:
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” on Sunday that Iran is “fully prepared for the war to be resumed,” according to an interview transcript released by the network. Araghchi said Iran “stands firm in the face of any new aggression, even if it comes to a doomsday war,” according to the interview.
The foreign minister, who made the remarks during a wide-ranging discussion with host Kristen Welker, indicated that Tehran remains open to diplomacy. “At the same time, we stand ready for diplomacy,” Araghchi said. “It is up to President Trump to choose.”
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The comments followed President Trump’s rejection of Tehran’s seven-day ceasefire roadmap proposal, according to the report. Separately, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that Trump is reportedly prepared to resume bombing Iran, likely after the November midterm elections. The Pentagon did not initially comment on the Iranian statements or the reported strike claims. The diplomatic impasse has persisted for seven months, according to the report, with the war having begun roughly eight months ago [1].
Iran Reports Strikes on 19 Ships in Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s Fars News Agency reported Sunday that Iranian forces struck 19 ships in the Strait of Hormuz over the past two nights. According to the report, Iranian forces hit 12 vessels Friday night and 7 more on Saturday. Western sources have been slow to report or confirm the strikes, and the Pentagon has not initially commented.
Shipping data from Kpler indicated that over 20 million barrels of crude and products exited the U.S. blockade line as a 7-day average, according to Drop Site News. The Strait of Hormuz remains a central point of contention in the ongoing conflict, officials said, with the waterway normally carrying around a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments [2].
Regional tensions have escalated in recent weeks, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warning of “significant changes” in its military operations if the U.S. launches another attack, according to Middle East Eye [3]. The IRGC also claimed to have downed another U.S. drone over the Strait of Hormuz, the outlet reported [3].
Araghchi Sets Conditions for Opening Strait and Ending War
Araghchi said Iran’s proposal is clear: “We are ready to open the strait if certain things are done by the U.S.,” according to the NBC interview. He said the conditions include ending the war on all fronts, releasing frozen Iranian assets, allowing Iran to sell oil, and ending the naval blockade.
The foreign minister said these conditions “are not new” and that the U.S. “has already committed itself to in the previous deals,” according to the interview. In an exchange with Welker, Araghchi said, “Why aren’t they ready to release our money? It is our own money.” Welker noted that the United States is not willing to unfreeze assets or lift sanctions on the front end.
