Araghchi says Iran prepared for war as Tehran sets Hormuz conditions

DOHA — Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran does not rule out renewed war with the United States and Israel and is prepared for "all scenarios," according to an interview with Al Jazeera published on 31 October 2026. He also set out conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and resuming negotiations with Washington.

Araghchi said Iran had "upgraded our weaponry, addressed our vulnerabilities and tested new arms," and that its forces were "at the highest level of readiness," according to the same interview. Middle East Eye, which carried the Al Jazeera interview in a live blog, reported these remarks. No independent confirmation of the military claims was included in the material available to Zenga News.

On the Strait of Hormuz, Araghchi said consultations with Qatari mediators had shortened the proposed implementation period for reopening the waterway from five days to two. He did not give further detail on the timetable in the material available to Zenga News.

Iran's conditions include lifting sanctions imposed after the Islamabad memorandum, reducing US forces in the region, restoring oil waivers and releasing frozen Iranian funds, including those held in Qatar, according to Araghchi's account.

He said reopening the strait on these terms could pave the way for negotiations with Washington. He also said an Iranian delegation had travelled to Qatar to continue consultations with Qatari and Pakistani mediators. He ruled out any immediate meeting with US officials.

Araghchi described a letter from US Vice President JD Vance, which sought dialogue, as a "positive step." He warned, however, that any attempt to create divisions would be another mistake by Washington.

Why it matters

The Strait of Hormuz is a key route for oil shipments from the Gulf. Araghchi's remarks link any reopening of the waterway to a set of demands, including sanctions relief, a smaller US military presence in the region and access to frozen funds. Whether shipping can resume therefore depends on talks that have not yet started. The source does not describe how shipping has been affected in recent weeks, and the report does not give figures on traffic through the strait.

Background

The Islamabad memorandum is referred to in Araghchi's remarks as the basis for the sanctions Iran wants lifted. The source does not describe the memorandum's terms or its date. Qatar and Pakistan are acting as mediators, according to Araghchi. Araghchi said Iran's delegation was in Qatar for talks with both countries' mediators.

Araghchi's comments follow a period of hostilities involving Iran, the United States and Israel. The source refers to the possibility of "renewed war," which implies earlier fighting, but it does not describe those events. The material available to Zenga News does not say when they took place or how they ended.

What happens next

Araghchi said the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz under Iran's conditions could lead to talks with Washington. He gave no date for a meeting, and he ruled out an immediate meeting with US officials. The source does not name any scheduled vote, deadline or meeting beyond the two-day implementation period he mentioned. It also does not say whether the United States has accepted Iran's conditions. Zenga News has not received a response from Washington to Araghchi's remarks.