New Delhi, 15 May (H.S.):

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Friday that Tehran also wants the Strait of Hormuz to be fully secure and open. He said the waterway is accessible to most vessels except those belonging to countries that are at war with Iran. Due to prevailing conditions, coordination with the Iranian military is necessary. Iran has provided safe passage to several Indian ships, he added.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi on the sidelines of the BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting, Araghchi said, “Our desire is that the Strait of Hormuz be fully reopened. As far as we are concerned, the Strait is open and ships can pass through — except vessels of countries that are at war with us and are fighting against us.

Vessels that wish to transit should, of course, coordinate with our armed forces because there are certain hazards. In such cases, we will show them safe routes, as we have done for several Indian ships.”

The Iranian foreign minister said a ceasefire is currently in effect, though the situation remains fragile. He maintained that Iran will not bow to pressure or military action, and that the problem can only be resolved through diplomacy and a “win‑win” agreement. He also alleged that some forces are trying to push the United States back toward war.

Referring to his talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Araghchi said India’s and Iran’s concerns and interests largely overlap. He said both countries share ancient civilisational ties and are committed to strengthening mutual respect, trade, and strategic cooperation. Iran appreciated India’s humanitarian assistance and support, he added.

Araghchi described the Chabahar port as a symbol of India‑Iran cooperation and said its pace of development had been slowed by U.S. sanctions. He expressed the hope that the port would become an important access route for India to Central Asia, the Caucasus and Europe, and said India would continue to play a role in its development.

Araghchi reiterated that Iran never sought nuclear weapons and had demonstrated that fact through the 2015 nuclear agreement. He said Iran’s nuclear programme is entirely peaceful. He also said it is difficult to trust the United States, citing instances when the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran during talks and sent mixed signals.

On Pakistan’s mediation, Araghchi said the effort had not entirely failed but the process had been made difficult by U.S. behaviour and distrust. He praised China’s role, noting Beijing has previously helped restore Iran‑Saudi ties, and said Iran would welcome Chinese assistance in advancing diplomacy.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar