ran ready to resume diplomacy if US conduct changes: Pezeshkian

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said Tehran stands ready to resume diplomacy once there is a change in the conduct of the United States.

In a telephone conversation with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Thursday, Pezeshkian said instability in the Gulf had been caused by the United States and Israel. He called for an immediate halt to what he described as American naval piracy against Iranian vessels and said such actions should be condemned.

Earlier, in a message issued on Persian Gulf National Day, Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said the future of the Gulf would be brighter without the presence of the United States. He said Tehran and its Gulf neighbours shared a common destiny and that there was no place for foreign elements in the region.

He also defended the decision to keep rival powers away from the region, stating that Iran regarded the protection of this strategic waterway as a vital part of its national security.

Khamenei said Tehran had repeatedly reaffirmed its rejection of external interference. He added that any attempt to impose a naval blockade on Iranian ports or enforce sanctions would run counter to international law and would fail.

His remarks came after US President Donald Trump said a day earlier that Washington had nearly achieved its objectives in its confrontation with Iran. He termed the blockade as a “genius” decision and said Iran would have to admit defeat, adding that talks with Tehran were continuing by telephone.

Separately, Iran’s leadership sharply criticised Washington over rising tensions in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, holding the United States responsible for regional instability. Khamenei said a new chapter had opened in the strategic waterway, one of the world’s most important maritime routes.