TEHRAN/NEW YORK, September 29, 2026: Iranian officials have warned that Tehran would respond forcefully to any further threats or military pressure as indirect talks with the United States continue over a possible agreement to end the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Tuesday that Iran would not retreat in response to threats, while warning that countries should not expect secure infrastructure if Iran’s own security is not guaranteed.
Ghalibaf also linked Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz to the wider regional energy market, saying that if Iran could not sell its oil, other countries should not expect unrestricted exports. His comments were carried by Iranian state media.
The remarks came as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi continued diplomatic contacts through mediators over Tehran’s proposal to reopen the strategic waterway.
Araghchi said Qatari mediators had discussed possible ways to meet Iran’s conditions and would convey those ideas to Washington. He said Tehran was awaiting an official US response through the mediators.
Iran has proposed a seven-day framework under which the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened after conditions set by Tehran are met. The proposal is linked to a broader cessation of hostilities, relief from sanctions and the lifting of the US blockade on Iranian ports, while negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme would resume.
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical route for global energy supplies, making the dispute a major concern for oil markets and countries dependent on Gulf shipping.
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Iran rejects US claims over nuclear programme
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps spokesperson Brigadier General Hossein Mohebbi accused President Donald Trump of misleading the American public about Iran’s nuclear programme and Tehran’s ability to restrict energy shipments through the Gulf.
Iran has repeatedly said it does not seek nuclear weapons while maintaining that it has a right to peaceful nuclear technology.
Trump has made preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon a central US objective in the conflict. US officials involved in the indirect talks have also said that any agreement would need to address Iran’s nuclear activities.
Mohebbi also rejected US claims that Iran had lost most of its leverage over the Strait of Hormuz, arguing that limited tanker movements did not mean the waterway had returned to normal operation.
Iranian officials have also sought to communicate their position directly to the American public. Mohebbi said the Revolutionary Guards had prepared a detailed letter explaining Tehran’s position and its reasons for opposing the US military presence in the region.
Russia urges Iran to remain in nuclear treaty
The diplomatic tensions have also raised questions about Iran’s future participation in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday that Russia does not want Iran to withdraw from the treaty and expects Tehran to remain a party to the agreement. His remarks followed statements from Iranian officials about the possibility of leaving the NPT.
Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi has separately rejected claims that Tehran has compromised on its nuclear programme, saying Iran’s position remains unchanged.
Trump denies sanctions relief offer
The latest diplomatic efforts have been complicated by conflicting accounts of possible US concessions.
Axios reported that Trump was willing to provide sanctions relief and release frozen Iranian funds in exchange for concrete progress on nuclear issues. Trump subsequently rejected the report, saying he had offered Iran “nothing.”
US officials involved in the talks have nevertheless indicated that discussions through mediators remain active and that Washington wants any agreement to include commitments on Iran’s nuclear programme.
Iran, meanwhile, says the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz remains conditional on its demands being addressed.
The competing positions leave the two sides divided over the sequence of concessions, the scope of sanctions relief and the future of Iran’s nuclear activities. Mediators from Qatar and other countries continue to facilitate indirect contacts as both sides explore a possible path toward de-escalation.
