Iran has ‘no trust’ in the US, will negotiate only if it is serious, foreign minister says

NEW DELHI – Tehran has “no trust” in the US and would be interested in negotiating with Washington only if it is serious, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on May 15, as talks on ending the war remained on hold.

Mr Araghchi told reporters in New Delhi that all vessels can pass through the Strait of Hormuz except those “at war” with Tehran, if they coordinate with Iran’s navy.

But the situation around the waterway, vital to global energy and commodities markets, was “very complicated”, he added during a visit to attend a BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting in India.

In a post on X, Mr Araghchi said he told India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar that “Iran will always carry out (its) historical duty as protector of security in Hormuz”.

Iran effectively shut the strait, which earlier handled about one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas supply, to most shipping traffic after its war with the US and Israel erupted in February.

Washington and Tehran announced a ceasefire in April but have been struggling to thrash out a permanent peace pact.

Talks, mediated by Pakistan, have been suspended since Iran and the US each rejected the other’s most recent proposals last week.

Mr Araghchi said “contradictory messages” had raised Iranian doubts about the Americans’ real intentions, adding that the Pakistani mediation process had not failed but was in “difficulty”.

The US and Israel have cut short two previous rounds of talks with Tehran in the past 13 months by launching campaigns of air strikes on Iran.

Iran is trying to keep the ceasefire to give diplomacy a chance, but is also prepared to go back to fighting, Mr Araghchi said.

The issues holding up negotiations between the two sides include Iran’s nuclear ambitions and its control of the Hormuz.

Mr Araghchi’s statement on May 15 came hours after US President Donald Trump said his patience with Iran was running out and agreed in talks with Chinese President Xi ​Jinping that Tehran must reopen the strait.

Asked if Tehran was open to mediation by Beijing, Mr Araghchi said Iran appreciated the efforts of any country that had the ability to help.

“We have very good relations with China,” he said. “We are strategic partners, and we know that the Chinese have good intentions. So, anything they can do to help diplomacy would be welcomed.”

Mr Araghchi added: “We hope that, with the advancement of negotiations, we will reach a good conclusion so that the Strait of Hormuz can be completely secured and we can expedite the normalisation of traffic through the strait.” REUTERS