Washington: Iran has continued to call for a diplomatic solution after US President Donald Trump rejected Tehran's latest proposal to reopen the strategically important Strait of Hormuz and restart negotiations.
The development comes amid continuing regional tensions and a reported visit by Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Abu Dhabi on Sunday. A senior Israeli official said Netanyahu met UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during the visit.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran was still waiting for Washington's final position to be conveyed through mediators. He said Tehran remained open to diplomacy but maintained its conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran had presented the United States with a seven day proposal through mediators. Iranian officials also discussed the plan during the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The proposal was aimed at ending the fighting and restarting negotiations. Iran said it could reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days if Washington took steps including ending the conflict, easing sanctions and allowing Iran access to frozen assets and oil markets.
The Strait has become a central issue in the dispute between Washington and Tehran. Iran has linked the reopening of the waterway to the fulfilment of its conditions, while the United States has rejected terms it considers unacceptable.
Trump rejected Iran's proposal on Saturday. He said Tehran wanted a deal, but that the terms put forward by Iran were not acceptable to him.
However, Trump did not indicate that diplomatic contacts would end. On Sunday, September 27, he said he expected talks with Iran to resume this week.
Araghchi said Iran had heard Trump's initial public reaction but was still waiting for Washington's final position through the mediators. The difference between the two sides over the conditions for negotiations and the reopening of the Strait remains unresolved.
The Strait of Hormuz, which lies between Iran and Oman, is one of the world's most important energy routes. Disruption to shipping through the waterway has increased concerns about oil supplies and energy markets.
The United States has continued to seek freedom of navigation through the Strait while rejecting terms it considers unacceptable. Iran has maintained that the waterway can be reopened once its conditions are addressed.
Iran has also warned that it is prepared for renewed confrontation if the conflict escalates. At the same time, Iranian officials have continued to argue that diplomacy remains the way to resolve the dispute.
The latest diplomatic developments have coincided with Netanyahu's reported visit to Abu Dhabi.
According to a senior Israeli official, Netanyahu travelled to Abu Dhabi on Sunday and met Sheikh Mohamed. The visit was not announced in advance. There was no immediate public confirmation from Netanyahu's office or the UAE Foreign Ministry about the meeting.
The UAE and Israel established diplomatic relations in 2020 under the Abraham Accords. The UAE has previously said that it maintains open and direct lines of communication with Israel.
The reported meeting comes at a sensitive time for the UAE, which has been affected by the wider regional conflict and has stressed the importance of stability and diplomacy.
The visit also comes amid renewed attention to a report by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz concerning an alleged warning from Sheikh Mohamed to Netanyahu before the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack.
Haaretz reported that Sheikh Mohamed had warned Netanyahu that Hamas was preparing a major operation. The report also said the warning was not passed to Israeli intelligence agencies or the military.
Netanyahu has denied the report and threatened legal action against Haaretz. The UAE has not commented on the allegation.
The subjects discussed during Netanyahu's latest meeting with Sheikh Mohamed have not been made public.
The immediate diplomatic question is whether Washington and Tehran can agree on the conditions for renewed negotiations and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran has rejected the idea of abandoning diplomacy while insisting on its conditions. Trump has rejected Iran's latest proposal but has said he expects talks to resume this week.
The next stage will depend on whether the two sides can narrow their differences over the conditions for negotiations, sanctions and the reopening of the Strait.