Iran will show no flexibility over its nuclear program even if the United States accepts its proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Friday — insisting the waterway stays closed until “all of Iran’s conditions are met.”
Under Tehran’s offer, hostilities would end on all fronts within seven days, including Lebanon, and Washington would lift its naval blockade on Iranian ports, release frozen funds, and waive oil sanctions, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Thursday. The strait has become the central bargaining chip after seven months of U.S.–Iran war, with Iran seeking relief from a blockade choking its economy and Washington seeking free passage for global oil shipping.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told journalists at the U.N. General Assembly he hoped a deal to end hostilities could be reached before the U.S. midterm elections on November 3. But the anonymous official said Iran would give no concessions on rights including enriching uranium or shipping highly enriched uranium out of the country — a core U.S. demand. Tehran has said it could agree to dilute its most highly enriched uranium; Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has directed that HEU should not be sent abroad, Reuters reported in May.
The International Atomic Energy Agency estimated Iran had 440.9 kg of uranium enriched to 60% when Israel and the U.S. attacked Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025; how much survived is unclear. Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons.
Sources: Reuters (Parisa Hafezi, Don Durfee)
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