TEHRAN — Iran will convey additional points regarding a US counter-proposal to Tehran’s seven-day plan for reopening the Strait of Hormuz after completing the necessary assessments, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said on Sunday.
Speaking at his weekly press briefing in Tehran, Baqaei said Iran had conveyed its positions to Qatari mediators during a brief stop in Doha by the Iranian delegation headed by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on its return from New York, where it had attended the 81st session of the UN General Assembly.
Iran submitted its seven-day plan to the United States through Qatari mediators two weeks ago. Washington delivered its response and counter-proposal a week later, while the Iranian delegation was in Doha. The Iranian government confirmed last Wednesday that it had received the US response.
“Our positions were conveyed to the mediator during the brief stop we made in Doha on our way back,” Baqaei said, adding that the US proposals were largely consistent with Washington’s previous positions and focused specifically on nuclear issues.
“We made it clear that, at this stage, our focus is on the issue of the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.
Baqaei said restoring security to the strategic waterway required Washington to take specific measures, including ending disruptions to Iran’s commercial shipping and interventionist measures and sanctions, including those imposed after the June 18 memorandum of understanding.
“We will conduct the necessary reviews regarding some of the details and will convey our additional points to the other side as well,” the spokesman said.
“The reality is that previous experience and the US stance show that the other side is not serious in using diplomacy,” Baqaei said.
Iran rejects nuclear-for-sanctions claim
Baqaei rejected reports claiming that Iran’s seven-day plan proposed sanctions relief in exchange for the resumption of International Atomic Energy Agency inspections at Iranian nuclear sites.
“We did not, in principle, enter into discussions on the nuclear issue in exchange for sanctions relief,” he said. “Our task was to communicate our conditions, which we conveyed to the mediators in the form of a proposal that came to be known as the ‘seven-day plan.’”
The spokesman also rejected US President Donald Trump’s claim that he did not know who was negotiating on behalf of Iran, calling the assertion baseless.
“The Americans know very well how decisions are made in the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Baqaei said, arguing that the issue instead lay within the US political system, where different parties undermine one another, and contradictory approaches have become a major problem.
Iran urges neighbors to prevent use of their territory
Referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent presence in the United Arab Emirates and efforts by the Israeli regime to foment tensions, Baqaei said Tehran expected all neighboring countries to observe their rights and responsibilities as good neighbors.
“We are committed to the principle of good neighborliness, and we hope our neighbors will observe it and will not allow their territory to be exploited by enemies,” he said.
Baqaei said Iran had clearly expressed its grievances over the participation of some regional countries in the US-Israeli war against Iran and would continue to raise the issue whenever an opportunity arose.
“I reiterate that the issue of the Israeli regime’s exploitation of the region’s facilities to carry out aggression against Iran must definitely receive special attention from countries,” Baqaei said.
Iran dismisses claims over Flydubai incident
The Foreign Ministry spokesman also rejected allegations linking Iran to a recent incident involving a Flydubai passenger aircraft, describing such claims as a “false flag” operation based on fabricated evidence.
Responding to allegations made by Britain and others regarding the Emirati aircraft, as well as Iran’s warnings about hostile actions, Baqaei said Iran remained fully prepared to defend itself.
“This is merely a reminder of an experience that the world has witnessed for itself over the past seven months,” he said.
Baqaei said the allegations should be viewed against a history of false-flag operations by the Israeli regime and some European countries.
Iran was being accused “solely based on fabricated evidence,” he said, citing allegations concerning RAF Fairford and the Flydubai aircraft as examples.
The remarks followed the September 30 diversion of a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv to Saudi Arabia after its co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain and attempted to take control of the aircraft. Passengers and crew members subdued the co-pilot, allowing a reserve crew to land the aircraft safely. Investigations into the incident are ongoing.
Baqaei’s remarks came amid claims by US President Donald Trump, made without evidence, that the co-pilot might have been linked to Iran.
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