United Nations: Iran has ruled out making concessions on its nuclear programme even if the United States accepts Tehran’s proposal to reopen the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, according to a senior Iranian official who spoke to Reuters on Friday.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the waterway would remain closed until the United States met all of Iran’s conditions. The comments underline the gap between Tehran and Washington even as Iran has put forward a proposal aimed at reopening the strait and ending hostilities in the region.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi outlined the proposal on Thursday. Under the plan, the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened and hostilities would end within seven days across the region, including in Lebanon. In return, Tehran is seeking the lifting of a US naval blockade on Iranian ports, the release of frozen Iranian funds and the removal of oil sanctions.

Iran separates Hormuz deal from nuclear position

The Iranian official told Reuters that reopening the Strait of Hormuz would not mean Tehran was prepared to compromise on what it considers its nuclear rights.

Iran has said it would be prepared to enter detailed negotiations over its nuclear programme once its conditions are met. However, the official said Tehran would not give ground on uranium enrichment or agree to send its stockpile of highly enriched uranium out of the country.

Those issues are among the key points of disagreement with Washington. The United States has sought restrictions on Iran’s nuclear activities as part of efforts to address concerns over the country’s uranium enrichment programme.

Iran maintains that its nuclear programme is intended for peaceful purposes and has rejected accusations that it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons.

The latest Iranian position means that even if an agreement were reached on the Strait of Hormuz, the nuclear issue would remain a separate and difficult part of any broader negotiations between the two countries.

Strait of Hormuz becomes key point in negotiations

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important energy shipping routes, connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.

Its closure has therefore become a major issue in the conflict and international diplomatic efforts. Iran has linked reopening the waterway to the removal of US military and economic pressure, while Washington has sought the restoration of safe passage for commercial vessels.

Iran previously indicated that it could reopen the strait within a week if the United States reduced military pressure and lifted its blockade of Iranian ports. Tehran transmitted its proposal through mediators as diplomatic efforts continued around the United Nations General Assembly.

For Iran, the proposal seeks relief from measures that have placed pressure on its economy. For the United States and other countries dependent on energy shipments through the Gulf, restoring freedom of navigation through Hormuz is a major concern.

The competing demands have made the waterway an important bargaining point in the wider diplomatic discussions.

Pezeshkian hopes for agreement before US elections

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Thursday that he hoped an agreement with Washington could be reached before the US midterm elections on November 3.

Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Pezeshkian indicated that Tehran remained interested in diplomacy despite the continuing military confrontation.

The comments came as Iranian and US officials remained apart on the terms for ending hostilities and restarting detailed negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme.

Iran’s diplomatic initiative has been presented as a broader framework involving the Strait of Hormuz, military activity, sanctions and nuclear negotiations. Tehran has, however, maintained that certain conditions must be addressed before it enters detailed nuclear talks.

Iran faces pressure over uranium enrichment

The nuclear dispute remains one of the most contentious aspects of the confrontation between Iran and Western countries.

Israel, the United States and other Western governments have accused Iran of moving its nuclear programme towards potential weapons capability. One of the principal concerns is Tehran’s enrichment of uranium to 60% purity, considerably above the enrichment level generally associated with civilian nuclear power.

Iran denies that it is seeking nuclear weapons and has maintained that its nuclear activities are peaceful.

An International Atomic Energy Agency report estimated that Iran had a stockpile of 440.9 kg of uranium enriched up to 60% uranium-235 as of June 13, 2025. The IAEA also said at the time that it had lost continuity of knowledge about Iran’s nuclear material inventories following military attacks and the withdrawal of inspectors because of security concerns.

The agency said it had verified 432.9 kg of the 440.9 kg of uranium enriched up to 60% in the form of uranium hexafluoride. It also said verification of Iran’s highly enriched uranium inventory had become overdue because inspectors had not had access to the relevant material.

Iranian authorities have indicated that they could consider diluting some of the most highly enriched material, but Tehran has not agreed to Washington’s demand that its enriched uranium stockpile be shipped out of the country.

Seven-day proposal seeks end to hostilities

Araqchi’s proposal calls for a seven-day period in which hostilities across the region would end while the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened.

The proposed arrangement covers fighting on multiple fronts, including Lebanon, and seeks reciprocal steps from Washington. Iran wants the US naval blockade of its ports lifted, access to frozen financial assets restored and oil sanctions waived.

The proposal reflects Tehran’s attempt to link the strategic waterway with broader economic and military issues rather than treating its reopening as a stand-alone measure.

Reuters reported on Saturday that Iran was awaiting a US response after the Wall Street Journal reported that US President Donald Trump had rejected the proposal. Reuters said the Iranian plan had been transmitted to the United States through Qatari mediators and was intended to reopen Hormuz and end hostilities within seven days.

The report adds another layer of uncertainty to diplomatic efforts, although the differing positions of the two sides remain subject to further negotiations and official responses.

Nuclear negotiations remain unresolved

The latest statements indicate that reopening the Strait of Hormuz would not automatically resolve the nuclear dispute between Iran and the United States.

Tehran is seeking relief from sanctions and military pressure while maintaining its stated right to uranium enrichment. Washington, meanwhile, has continued to focus on restrictions concerning Iran’s nuclear programme and the disposition of its enriched uranium stockpile.

The two sides therefore face several interconnected issues, including the status of the Strait of Hormuz, sanctions, military activity, frozen Iranian funds and nuclear safeguards.

For now, Iran has made clear that reopening the vital waterway would not require it to surrender its stated nuclear rights. The future of the strait and the prospects for renewed nuclear negotiations will depend on whether Washington and Tehran can bridge their differences over the conditions attached to any wider agreement.