Tehran says it remains open to diplomacy but warns it is prepared for a “decisive war” and could target US bases and commercial interests if attacked again.
BY PC Bureau
September 20: Iran has put seven conditions on the table for resuming negotiations with the United States, even as Tehran warns it is prepared for a “decisive war” if Washington rejects its demands. The move comes as President Donald Trump weighs whether to order a fresh major military offensive against Iran, saying he faces a “big decision” over his next step.
Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, told Al Jazeera that Qatar had conveyed Tehran’s conditions to Washington and that Iran was awaiting Trump’s response.
Among the conditions he identified were an end to fighting on all fronts, the release of frozen Iranian funds and an end to the US naval blockade. Qatar and Pakistan have been working to revive negotiations after an earlier memorandum of understanding expired last month.
“It is in Washington’s interest to accept these conditions. Trump’s threats will not achieve any results. We are prepared for a decisive war,” Rezaei said.
READ:
🚨 IRAN HAS SENT WASHINGTON A POSSIBLE PATH TO END THE WAR, WILL TRUMP TAKE IT?
Iran says it has delivered seven conditions to the United States through Qatar aimed at reopening negotiations and ending the war.
The publicly identified demands include:
• Ending the war on all…
— Our Country Our Choice (@OCOCReport) September 20, 2026
In a separate post on X, Rezaei said the United States would have to accept Iran’s “rights and conditions” if it wanted to “escape the quagmire” and avoid becoming more deeply involved in the conflict.
Rezaei also warned that another US strike remained possible. He said Tehran had shifted its military planning towards US naval assets in the Gulf, the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.
He further claimed that Iran had recently test-fired a multi-warhead anti-ship missile near a US vessel or aircraft carrier and warned that any future Iranian retaliation would target US bases and American commercial interests in the region.
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At the same time, Rezaei said Tehran remained committed to diplomacy and wanted the fighting to end “as soon as possible”. The latest contacts come amid continuing mediation efforts by Qatar and Pakistan to bring Washington and Tehran back to the negotiating table.
On the nuclear issue, Rezaei said Iran had not decided to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. However, he warned that further sanctions or a referral of Iran’s case to the UN Security Council could push Tehran towards leaving the treaty.
He also said Iran remained open to an agreement with Oman over the Strait of Hormuz, claiming the two sides had come within “a short step” of a deal before the initiative was shelved.
The diplomatic overture comes as Trump considers whether to escalate the conflict. In an interview with Axios, he said he was approaching a critical juncture and was considering whether to resume large-scale military action. “Do I want to go in and annihilate them [the Iranian regime] or do I not?” Trump said, adding: “Anything could happen with me.”
Trump is also expected to meet leaders of six Gulf countries — Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman — on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, with the regional consultations coming as Washington weighs its next move in the conflict.
