Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that Tehran will maintain its positions even if war with Israel and the United States resumes. His remarks, delivered in a speech at Iran's Foreign Ministry and quoted by Press TV, addressed the prospect of renewed fighting after months of confrontation over the Strait of Hormuz.

Araghchi said the war had changed conditions in the region. He argued that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, and the way the strait is managed, would no longer be the same as before the conflict. He also said Tehran would welcome any security plan originating from within the region, while insisting that Iran retain authority over the waterway.

A ceasefire that unravelled

An April ceasefire ended the most intense fighting between Iran and the United States, but sporadic exchanges have continued in and around the strait, a key route for global energy supplies. In June, Iran and the United States agreed to a memorandum of understanding setting out a path towards a permanent settlement. That agreement subsequently unravelled, with each side accusing the other of violating it.

The minister's speech came after renewed threats of attack from Washington. US President Donald Trump said on Friday that Washington might repeat the military campaign he referred to as Epic Fury, which began in late February. Tehran and Washington remain at odds over control of the strait: Iran insists on regulating shipping traffic through it, while Washington demands unrestricted freedom of navigation.

What happens next

Diplomacy has not produced a lasting settlement. Araghchi's message was that a return to fighting would not move Tehran's positions, and the strait remains the central flashpoint, with any incident there carrying immediate consequences for shipping and energy markets.

Source: FactSnap, 25 October 2026, reporting Araghchi's speech and the June memorandum; also reported by ANTARA via Press TV.