Araghchi met US envoy Steve Witkoff on Tuesday at the UN General Assembly in New York to lay out a three‑part demand: the U.S. must lift its naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, release all Iranian assets frozen abroad, and end the war on every resistance front.
The Strait, a choke point that sees about 20% of the world’s oil, has been under U.S. control since 2019 when it tightened sanctions against Tehran.
The blockades and frozen assets have cost Tehran an estimated ₹4,200 crore in foreign exchange and stifled trade, according to a report by the State Bank of India.
Witkoff, a former ambassador to Israel, said he would relay the conditions to Washington’s State Department, noting that Boston‑based think‑tank analysis shows the U.S. is unlikely to lift the blockade without a broader diplomatic settlement.
Iranian media outlet IRIB quoted Araghchi saying the conditions are non‑negotiable and that any delay would force Tehran to reconsider the Strait’s security guarantees.
The U.S. is expected to reply by the end of the week, with a possible joint statement from the National Security Council before the UN General Assembly reconvenes.