Iran ‘fully prepared’ for resumption of war, but diplomacy not yet over, says Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said his country was ready to resume fighting with the United States but had not yet abandoned diplomacy after President Donald Trump publicly rejected a proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

“We are fully prepared for the resumption of war. We remain firm in the face of any further aggression, even if it results in an apocalyptic war,” Araghchi said on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” on Sunday, when asked about a Wall Street Journal report that Trump may seek to resume bombing after the U.S. midterm elections. “At the same time, we are prepared to be diplomatic. It’s up to President Trump to choose.”

Iran this week proposed a deal to reopen the strait and resume normal maritime passage through the global oil hotspot within seven days, under a plan conveyed to the United States through Qatar on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Trump said Saturday that he rejected that proposal, telling reporters: “I rejected their deal. They want to make a deal where they open the strait immediately because they’re losing a lot.”

Araghchi told moderator Kristen Welker on Sunday that despite Trump’s public comments, the rejection had still not been officially communicated to Iran through the mediators.

He reiterated that Iran was ready to reopen the strait as part of a deal to end the conflict, adding that in return, “we want our money, our assets, which are illegally frozen, to be released. We want to be able to sell our oil.”

Araghchi said the conditions were “not new” and were things the United States had committed to before, referring to the memorandum of understanding the two countries signed in June that included a temporary ceasefire. This agreement collapsed a few days after the exchange of new strikes.

“If you ask us, there is no reason for us to return to diplomacy,” Araghchi said. “But I always try diplomacy because I think we should not miss any chance for peace.”

“We don’t care about the US mid-term elections,” the Iranian official added. “We care about our national interests.”

Before Araghchi’s interview, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz told “Meet the Press” that the deal was rejected for “a number of reasons,” suggesting the United States could not allow Iran “to have access to billions in frozen funds.”

Waltz said: “I think it was a pretty cynical attempt to put on the table something that they knew was unacceptable, to ask for the blockade to be lifted, sanctions, international sanctions and access to billions in assets. »

He also asked “who is calling the shots in Iran right now”, adding that the country had violated the previous memorandum of understanding by attacking international shipping.

“I think it’s common sense that the president doesn’t have a lot of confidence this time after we tried a few months ago,” Waltz added. “What I can tell you is that the president will leave every option on the table to ensure the world is safe from Iran holding the world hostage with a nuclear weapon. »

When asked what deal Trump would agree to, Waltz replied: “I’m not going to negotiate for the president. »

“This is about protecting the next generation from Iran threatening the world with a nuclear weapon,” he added.

Earlier this week, Trump said he was still considering whether to “annihilate” Iran or make a deal.

“I think we’ll come to an agreement right after the election, because it makes no sense why they wouldn’t,” Trump said. “They are waiting to see how I perform in the midterm elections.”

Polls give Democrats an advantage heading into the November midterm elections. The latest NBC News Decision Desk poll found that 31% of respondents approved of Trump’s handling of the Iran war, while 69% disapproved.