Published October 18, 2026
BAGHDAD: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran can restore normal shipping through the Strait of Hormuz within seven days if its conditions are met, and that the decision now lies with the United States.
Araghchi made the remarks on Saturday in Baghdad at the 52nd session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers. He said Iran had already conveyed a “concrete” seven-day plan to Washington through Qatar.
“Security cannot be restored by more of the same”
Araghchi said maritime security cannot return while US threats, attacks and the blockade continue. He said US actions and broken promises had blocked implementation of the Islamabad memorandum of understanding.
According to Iranian state media, Araghchi said Iran and the US signed the memorandum in Islamabad on June 17 and then began technical talks with Oman to help vessels pass safely. He said Iran had repeatedly entered negotiations in good faith, only to be met with military action. This, he said, has created deep distrust and means Iran needs credible guarantees against a repeat before talks can resume.
He said traffic through the strait briefly recovered to about 60 percent of its pre-war level during a two-week period. He blamed the later disruption on US and Israeli military action and on the restrictions the US imposed afterward. He also said the waterway was open before the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28.
“Iran will not give up its rights under pressure”
Araghchi said Iran will not give up its legitimate rights under pressure or threats. He said Iran took military action to protect its people, its interests and its sovereignty. “Iran knows the cost of war, so it puts peace first,” he said, according to the Urdu text you provided.
He said Iran remains ready for talks based on mutual respect and credible guarantees that commitments will be kept.
Call for regional cooperation
Araghchi said regional disputes should be settled among regional countries. He urged them to strengthen security cooperation and not to let their territory or infrastructure be used for attacks on neighbors. He also said OIC members should keep talking to one another.
On the sidelines of the session, he met his Egyptian, Turkish, Lebanese and Libyan counterparts. The session was held under the theme “Dialogue and Solidarity” and opened with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi presiding. Araghchi also called on OIC members to take coordinated action in support of Palestinian rights.
Background
The Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway at the entrance to the Persian Gulf, has been at the center of a crisis since the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28. The disruption has hit global fuel supplies, and the US has imposed a naval blockade on Iran.
The Islamabad memorandum of June 17 was reached through Pakistan’s mediation with Qatar’s support. An interim truce later broke down in July. There has been no immediate public response from Washington to Araghchi’s latest remarks.