Iran has laid out conditions for reopening the strategically important Strait of Hormuz following a meeting between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
According to Iranian state media, the meeting took place at the request and insistence of the U.S. side. Tehran reportedly agreed to the encounter to communicate its position directly to Washington, with the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz emerging as a central issue in the discussions.
Iranian state media reported that Araghchi conveyed three principal conditions. These include the immediate lifting of what Tehran describes as a U.S. naval blockade, the release of frozen Iranian assets and an end to the war across all fronts involving Iran and its regional partners.
The meeting comes as diplomatic activity surrounding the conflict has intensified during the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. U.S. and Iranian officials have communicated through mediators, including Qatar, in an effort to explore possible steps toward ending hostilities and restoring navigation through the strategic waterway.
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical maritime route connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the wider Arabian Sea. Its status has become one of the most important issues in the current U.S.-Iran diplomatic discussions.
Iran has linked the reopening of the waterway to changes in the military and economic pressure being applied against Tehran. Iranian officials have maintained that Washington must take steps addressing the blockade and other measures before unrestricted maritime traffic can resume.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei separately said Tehran had communicated conditions through a Qatari mediator. Those conditions included ending the war, stopping what Iran calls U.S. acts of aggression, ending the naval blockade and releasing Iranian assets.
The United States, meanwhile, has described the latest contacts as part of continuing diplomatic efforts. Witkoff said mediators moved between the American and Iranian delegations during lengthy discussions in New York and described the latest round as potentially constructive.
