Speaking at his weekly press conference on Monday, Esmaeil Baqaei said Washington could not claim to seek security while continuing its blockade against Iran, adding that Tehran would not accept unilateral commitments under such circumstances.
Commenting on a letter sent by US Vice President JD Vance to Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Mohsen Rezaei, Baqaei said differences in correspondence styles are normal, but what matters to Tehran is Washington’s actual conduct.
He said the US has so far demonstrated that it not only lacks any diplomatic initiative but also undermines diplomatic efforts. Over the past two years, Washington has consistently pushed for war, destroyed diplomatic processes, or sabotaged initiatives that had emerged through dialogue, he added.
Iran has put forward a seven-day initiative and heard the other side’s views, with concerns and considerations exchanged between the parties, he explained.
Tehran’s proposal for the diplomatic process remains on the table, he added, stressing that “the ball is in America’s court” and Iran’s demands have been clearly communicated.
“The Strait of Hormuz cannot reopen unless the blockade ends and Iran’s demands are met,” Baqaei stated, adding that only then could the parties discuss the continuation of the diplomatic process.
He noted that the diplomatic process is still underway and that negotiations are based on Iran’s seven-stage proposal, which has been condensed into a format that could be implemented within two days. He described the arrangement as a demonstration of Iran’s goodwill, emphasizing that its outcome depends entirely on the US.
Asked about the two-day proposal, the visit by a Qatari delegation to Tehran, the Iranian deputy foreign minister’s trip to Doha, and the outcome of mediation efforts, Baqaei said the deputy foreign minister’s visit to Qatar had been aimed at facilitating transactions between Iran and Qatar.
He added that discussions are continuing and the issues involved are highly complicated. The passage of time has added to those complexities, while exchanges of messages between the parties are still ongoing, the spokesman said.
“You cannot speak of security while maintaining a blockade against Iran, nor can you expect Iran to make unilateral commitments,” he reminded the US, describing Tehran’s insistence that its demands be implemented first as a reasonable approach to restoring security.