‘There is no military solution,’ Iran tells U.S. as stalemate lingers on

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaks during a briefing with foreign ambassadors and diplomats in Tehran on Sunday. Photo by ATTA KENARE /AFP via Getty Images

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Iran’s top diplomat insisted on Sunday that there would be no military solution to the United States’ war against the Islamic republic, with talks on ending the conflict apparently at an impasse.

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A campaign of heavy bombardment failed to bring a decisive close to the war launched by the U.S. and Israel in late February, and Washington in recent weeks has dialled back military operations in favour of economic pressure.

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The main point of contention remains Iran’s attempt to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, a vital conduit for Gulf oil and gas where a U.K. maritime agency reported on Sunday another tanker was struck by an unknown projectile.

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“If our enemies again choose the path of military confrontation, our response will be stronger than before, and we will defend ourselves with even more force,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said at a gathering of foreign ambassadors.

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“There is no military solution, nor any solution based on new sanctions,” he continued, adding “only negotiations based on justice and fairness” could end the conflict.

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The two sides agreed a memorandum of understanding in June that spelled out a framework for a permanent resolution, but Iranian attacks on vessels in the Hormuz prompted a return to U.S. military operations.

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Iran has sought to impose its control over the vital shipping lane since the start of the war, striking vessels that attempt to transit without its authorization.

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The U.S. has imposed its own counterblockade of Iranian ports, and has also struck vessels it accuses of violating it.

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On Sunday, the British maritime security agency UKMTO said a tanker in the Hormuz “reported being struck by an unknown projectile, causing damage to the engine room”, though the crew were reported safe and no environmental impact was recorded.

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The agency did not specify the date of the incident, the vessel’s origin or destination, or whether it was an oil tanker or LNG carrier.

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In Iran, oil minister Mohsen Paknejad has resigned, the president’s office said on Sunday, as the U.S. maintains a blockade on the country’s oil exports.

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In a news bulletin on the minister’s resignation, state television ran an interview with an official from the Iranian presidential office who said Paknejad initially offered to quit a while ago “due to personal issues” but this was rejected.

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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had asked Paknejad to continue in his post but was now accepting his departure as the minister had insisted on leaving, the official added.

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Paknejad has been replaced by Hamid Bovard, the chief executive of the National Iranian Oil Company, the presidency said.

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Vehicles drive along a busy road during the evening peak hour in Tehran on Sunday. Photo by ATTA KENARE /AFP via Getty Images

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Focused on Hormuz