Araghchi Says Hormuz Will Never Return to Pre-War Rules as Trump Weighs New Strikes or a Deal

Iran's foreign minister said on Sunday that the Strait of Hormuz will not go back to the way it was run before this year's war with the United States and Israel. Speaking at the Foreign Ministry in Tehran, Abbas Araghchi said the conflict had created new realities in the region and that shipping routes through the strait, and the way the waterway is managed, would no longer be the same.

He also said Iran's policies would stay in place whether or not fighting resumes, and warned Washington and Israel against another round of military action. If there was any rationality, he said, they would not try to attack Iran again.

Why the Timing Matters

The comments came a day after US President Donald Trump kept both options open. Speaking on Saturday, Trump said there was a possibility he would order new strikes, possibly as soon as the next day, and also a possibility of what he called a big, beautiful agreement. He said Iran wanted a deal but questioned whether Tehran would honour one.

Araghchi's message was that neither outcome would change Iran's position on Hormuz. Tehran has demanded that ships seek its permission before passing through the strait, and has targeted vessels that try to sail without it. The United States has answered with a naval counter-blockade of Iranian ports. Araghchi said Iran would welcome security arrangements for the strait that come from countries inside the region, a line that pushes back against any US-led plan.

No New Offer, Tehran Says

Iranian media also rejected reports that Tehran had offered to reopen the strait in exchange for an end to the US blockade. The Tasnim news agency said no new proposal had been passed through Pakistani mediators, and Press TV described a Saudi media report of such an offer as fabricated.

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf added to the hard line, saying US miscalculations had led Washington into a quagmire and that it was up to the Americans to find their way out. Ghalibaf was due in New Delhi this week for the BRICS Parliamentary Forum but pulled out, with Iran's embassy citing unforeseen circumstances.

Araghchi also made several battlefield claims, including that Iranian forces had destroyed more than 80 US aircraft, most of them on the ground, and nearly all US bases in the region. Those claims have not been independently verified.

The Background in One Line

The war began on February 28 with US and Israeli strikes on Iran; a ceasefire on April 8 halted the heavy bombing, and an interim framework agreed in June later broke down, with each side accusing the other of violations.

What It Means for Oil and India

Hormuz carries a large share of the world's seaborne crude and gas, and attacks on tankers there have kept prices high this month, with Brent trading well above $100 a barrel. Statements like Araghchi's signal that even a deal may not restore free passage on the old terms. That points to higher shipping and insurance costs lasting longer.

For India, which imports most of its crude and a large share of it from the Gulf, that is a direct risk. Higher landed oil costs feed into fuel prices, the import bill and the rupee. Indian markets have already felt this: Brent's surge was the main driver of the Sensex's sharp falls earlier this week.

The next signals to watch are whether Trump follows through on his threat of new strikes, and whether Pakistan's mediation channel produces any fresh talks.

This is an original summary based on public reporting. See our editorial policy for how we source, write, and correct our stories.