Iran Reaffirms Diplomatic Stance Over Strait of Hormuz Following US Ceasefire Rejection

Iran stated on Sunday that it remains committed to diplomacy but prepared to confront any renewed aggression after US President Donald Trump rejected its road map for a ceasefire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, China Daily reported. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi made the comments during an interview with NBC's Meet the Press in New York while attending the United Nations General Assembly alongside President Masoud Pezeshkian. Following the interview, Araghchi posted on X that Iranian officials visited New York to seek peace, while remaining steadfast against aggression.

Under Iran's proposed seven-day truce framework, commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz would return to normal provided the United States fulfills preconditions, including ending hostilities and releasing frozen Iranian funds and assets, according to Araghchi. The plan outlined reopening the waterway on the sixth day, followed by a formal resumption of negotiations on the seventh day. Araghchi stated that Tehran would continue pursuing diplomatic options and remains focused on national interests.

On the operational front, Iranian military official Habibollah Sayyari stated that the western Strait of Hormuz and Persian Gulf are under the complete control of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, while the eastern section and the northern Indian Ocean are controlled by the Iranian Army Navy, according to a report by Mehr News Agency. Sayyari was quoted as stating that forces are operating decisively in the northern Sea of Oman and east of the strait and are not permitting passage.

Arhama Siddiqa, a research fellow at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad, told China Daily that official rhetoric between Washington and Tehran often appears harder than positions exchanged via intermediaries. Siddiqa noted that preserving political space through mediators, including Pakistan and Qatar, remains critical to avoiding further escalation. Separately, Xinhua reported regional clashes in Yemen, where Houthi media cited 26 coalition airstrikes across five provinces alongside ground confrontations.