• Araghchi says reopening proposal remains on table
• Rubio sees no need for major combat operations as economic pressure continues
• Qatar PM joins G7 talks after meeting Trump; US president sees ‘positive momentum’
• Iran says three oil tankers on fire in Hormuz; October LNG traffic hits post-war high
TEHRAN: Iran on Tuesday urged the United States to accept its conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, insisting that diplomacy rather than military action or further sanctions was the only way to end the war, as President Donald Trump saw “positive momentum” towards resolving the conflict.
The diplomatic push gained traction as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there was no need for major combat operations against Iran, while Qatar’s prime minister joined European and Saudi diplomats for talks on the crisis on the sidelines of a G7 meeting in Paris.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran’s proposal to reopen the strategic waterway within two days of an agreement with Washington remained on the table.
“The conflict with Iran will not be resolved through military means, nor by intensifying sanctions,” Araghchi told the official IRNA news agency.
“The only solution is to adopt a language of respect, engage in diplomacy and address Iran’s demands and conditions — which were outlined in the two-day proposal and remain on the table,” he added.
Iran’s conditions include ending the war on all fronts, unfreezing its assets abroad, lifting oil sanctions and ending the US naval blockade of Iranian ports.
However, Washington insists that nuclear issues must feature in the initial negotiations.
Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei struck a more confrontational tone, urging Washington to “surrender” to Tehran’s demands.
“The war on Iran has already wrecked the US government. But Washington flails like a desperate gambler. FOLD YOUR HAND,” he posted on X.
US sees diplomatic progress
Speaking after a meeting of G7 foreign ministers in Paris, Rubio said Washington’s economic pressure campaign had made further major attacks unnecessary.
“The economic campaign (against Iran) is so devastating that right now there is no need for major combat operations,” he said. “That’s what I told our allies here today.”
Rubio’s remarks followed President Trump’s statement on Monday that the United States was seeing progress towards ending the conflict, which began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb 28.
“We are seeing positive momentum toward an end to this Conflict, and will ensure that America’s interests are at all times protected,” Trump wrote on social media after meeting Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani at the White House.
The US president said further strikes were “quite unlikely”, although he maintained that Washington was “locked and loaded” if necessary.
Meanwhile, Qatar’s prime minister joined discussions with the foreign ministers of Britain, Germany, Italy, France and Saudi Arabia on the sidelines of the G7 meeting in Paris on Tuesday.
The talks, convened by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, focused on the Iran crisis and its security and economic repercussions for the region and the wider international community.
European diplomats have been urging Washington to avoid another military escalation and help restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Three tankers burning
Despite the diplomatic activity, vessels continued to come under attack in and around the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Tuesday that three oil tankers were on fire in the waterway, although they did not identify the vessels or provide details of the incidents.
The Emirati state oil company ADNOC said on Tuesday that one of its vessels had “sustained damage following an attack in the UAE’s territorial waters”, while the British maritime agency UKMTO reported a tanker was “struck by an unknown projectile” off the Omani coast.
Meanwhile, the number of loaded liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers exiting the Strait of Hormuz reached its highest monthly level since the war began, according to vessel-tracking data released on Tuesday.
Data from S&P Global Energy showed that 31 laden LNG tankers passed through the waterway in October, up from 23 in September.
Of the October total, 23 vessels had loaded at Qatar’s Ras Laffan export terminal and eight at Das Island in the United Arab Emirates.
Separately, ship-tracking firm Kpler reported that 42 LNG cargoes were loaded in October, compared with 27 in September.
One vessel, Al Mafyar, transferred LNG to Shandong Redwood and Ejnan, both of which delivered the cargoes to Pakistan.
Published in Dawn, November 11th, 2026
