Iran has given the United States “four or five days” to meet its conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, as British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband raised the disruption of the waterway in talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi at the United Nations in New York.
Miliband met Araghchi on Thursday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. It was the first meeting between British and Iranian ministers for a year. The talks covered the Strait of Hormuz, concerns about Iranian-linked threats in Britain and the detention of British nationals in Iran.
The British foreign secretary told Araghchi that Britain would “not tolerate intimidation, threats or hostile activity on UK soil”. He also expressed his “unwavering resolve to combat threats from Iranian-linked groups on UK soil”, and specifically raised concerns regarding the British Jewish community.
The National Cyber Security Centre said last week that Iranian state-linked actors had used spyware known as “CHOSEN BRICK” in spear-phishing campaigns on WhatsApp and Telegram. Miliband also pressed Iran to release detained Britons.
Britain proscribed the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, or IRGC, as a terrorist organisation in July. During Thursday's meeting, Miliband said continued disruption in the Strait of Hormuz threatened global security and economic stability. He urged Iran to pursue “de-escalation and diplomacy instead of prolonging the war”.
The strait is a major global energy transit route. Disruption since the start of the US-Iran war has affected commercial shipping and energy markets.
Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said Tehran had given Washington “four or five days” to carry out its terms. He said the conditions had to be met “completely and all at once”.
Iran has called for the lifting of US sanctions on its oil exports, an end to the war on all fronts including in Lebanon, and the release of some frozen Iranian assets. Tehran has also sought a formal US commitment to diplomatic solutions.
Araghchi conveyed seven preconditions during discussions in New York, including sanctions relief and an end to the war on all fronts. The remaining conditions have not been specified. Rezaei said Iran would keep the Strait of Hormuz closed and would not move to negotiations unless Washington acted first.
Iran has said it is willing to open the strait in six days. It has also said talks on its nuclear programme could begin the day after the waterway reopens. Araghchi said he would remain in New York over the weekend while awaiting an American response.
A memorandum of understanding was signed by the US and Iran in June. Tehran's latest proposal was delivered to the United States through mediators on 16 September, according to the Iranian account.
Iran says it has reached an agreement with Oman on a temporary route through the strait. Saudi Arabia had been expected to support the Oman-Iran route, though it pulled back partly because Iranian-backed Houthis had begun attacking Saudi Arabia over the future of Yemen. Araghchi said he had consulted China on the plan and that China fully supported it. Saudi Arabia's formal position following its withdrawal has not been stated.
Comments (0)