Iran rules out US talks, says no negotiations planned

No talks with Washington

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Saturday that Tehran has no plans to hold talks with US officials, dismissing reports suggesting otherwise as unfounded and noting that a message sent by US Vice President JD Vance to a senior Iranian security official remains under review by relevant authorities, according to the official Iranian news agency IRNA.

Araghchi stressed that claims of imminent negotiations do not reflect the truth, adding that Iran currently sees no need for dialogue with Washington as its conditions for any engagement remain clear. He noted that contacts continue with Qatar and Pakistan as mediators, and that a decision on whether future talks would be direct or indirect will come only after the United States agrees to Tehran’s conditions.

Mediation efforts

While acknowledging that Vance’s message and US efforts to open dialogue could be considered a positive step, Araghchi maintained that no discussions are currently scheduled. The remarks came after The Wall Street Journal, citing US officials, reported that Vance had sent a message to Mohsen Rezaei at President Donald Trump’s direction to revive peace talks — a claim Trump subsequently denied, stating that Vance’s role was limited to helping provide medical supplies needed by Iran.

Strait of Hormuz conditions

Regarding the proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Araghchi said that Tehran had offered to unblock the vital waterway within seven days if its seven conditions are accepted, but that Doha had requested the timeframe be reduced. "The Qatari side had requested that the time needed to implement our proposal be reduced to five days. At this stage, a proposal to shorten that period to two days is under discussion," he said, adding that reopening the strait remains conditional on accepting a new transit route designated by Iran and Oman and closing alternative paths.

Regional tensions

Araghchi stated that Tehran is demanding Washington reinstate the waiver concerning Iranian oil sales and release all frozen Iranian assets, including those held in Qatar. He stressed that his country does not rule out the possibility of war and remains ready for all scenarios, as mediation efforts by Doha and Islamabad continue to seek understandings on Iran’s nuclear program, sanctions, and navigation security in the strategic strait.