Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi attends a ceremony where Iran’s Foreign Ministry and Health Ministry sign a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the reconstruction of war-damaged infrastructure in Tehran, Iran, Aug. 11, 2026. Xinhua News Agency | Xinhua News Agency | Getty Images Iran’s foreign minister said Friday that returning to diplomatic negotiations with the United States is not out of the question, as Tehran sets out its conditions for reopening the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. The war between the United States and Iran has been in full swing for six months and talks between the belligerents appear to have collapsed, but Seyed Abbas Araghchi wrote in an X post that “getting diplomacy back on track is not impossible.” Araghchi said that following “creative discussions” with Qatari officials on Thursday to reopen a safe transit route through the Strait of Hormuz, the potential for resuming negotiations with Washington “depends on the American understanding of a simple fact: Pressure does not work.” The comments come shortly after US President Donald Trump said Washington was not currently talking to Iran as it continues to focus on its economic campaign against the regime. “We don’t want to talk to them. We’re not looking to meet or anything like that,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday. Hormuz. International benchmark Brent crude futures for October delivery fell 0.1% to $89.63 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures for October delivery fell 0.5% to $83.11. Tehran: Conflicts in Lebanon, Gaza and Syria must end In an interview on Thursday, Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, told Lebanese media outlet Al Manar TV that any agreement on the Strait of Hormuz with the US would include an end to wars and military operations in Lebanon, Gaza and Syria. He added that the conflict in the Gaza Strip must end, while demanding that Israel withdraw from Lebanon and stop attacks on Syria. Rezaei said the Strait of Hormuz cannot be separated from the broader regional conflict, adding that the United States must “demonstrate its seriousness” in implementing these commitments “before any new trust can be established.” However, a return to diplomacy does not seem imminent. The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that the Trump administration has no interest in returning to the terms of the memorandum of understanding it reached with Iran in June. Citing people familiar with the matter, the Journal said Trump was no longer interested in the framework of the June deal, and is instead waiting to see whether his administration’s strategy of putting economic pressure on Iran will work. The United States on Monday announced an “economic D-Day” campaign against Tehran, threatening countries that do business with the Islamic Republic, shifting its focus from military action to economic pressure. Temporary reliefIran is now allowing a “temporary and limited” corridor for ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, and the future of maritime traffic will depend on evolving understandings with Washington, according to Rezaei. Earlier this week, Oman and Iran discussed a proposal to establish a temporary joint sea route through the Strait of Hormuz, as well as a mission to clear mines from the key oil export corridor. He credited American forces with clearing mines from the strait. U.S. Navy sailors work on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George Washington as it transits the Arabian Sea to support U.S. military operations in the war with Iran on August 20, 2026. U.S. Navy | Through Reuters, Centcom forces have helped facilitate the transit of approximately 1,500 commercial vessels and 750 million barrels of crude oil in recent months, Cooper said. “Today, international shipping routes are open and momentum is gaining momentum.” However, the latest available data from Kpler showed that only five ships crossed Hormuz on Tuesday, a far cry from the roughly 130 ships that used to transit the crucial waterway before war broke out in February. Choose CNBC as your preferred source on Google and never miss a moment from the most trusted name in business news.
