Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was due for talks in Qatar, a key mediator in the US-Iran war, before travelling to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly, state media reported Sunday.
– The minister “left Tehran on Sunday evening bound for New York… and will make a brief stop in Doha to hold consultations on the latest developments in the region,” state news agency IRNA reported.
– The stop in Doha comes as Iranian officials say they have once again stated through mediators Tehran’s conditions for ending its blockade of the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
– The issue of the Hormuz strait has been central to the ongoing Middle East war that began in late February. Tehran blockaded it in response to the US-Israeli attacks.
– Tehran now requires vessels to obtain its authorization to pass through the strait, citing security and sovereignty concerns, and is considering a mechanism to impose service fees.
– In response, the US has imposed its own blockade of Iranian ports as the conflict remains deadlocked.