U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said Sunday that the door remains open for Iran to return to negotiations with Washington, as military tensions and disruption around the Strait of Hormuz continue. His remarks came during an event in New York ahead of the United Nations General Assembly.
Waltz made the comments at an Al-Monitor Live event on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. He said Iran could return to the negotiating table if it engages in what Washington considers good-faith diplomacy.
The statement comes as the United States and Iran remain deeply divided over the conditions for restarting negotiations. Iran has linked a return to talks and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to demands that include changes to U.S. military and economic measures, according to reports from the region.
US Position on Renewed Talks
Waltz said the Trump administration remains focused on preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and maintaining pressure on Tehran.
In a post on X, Waltz said that the United States would continue applying “maximum pressure” while keeping the possibility of negotiations available if Iran returns to the table in good faith.
Waltz also rejected reports that Iran had recently made the removal of U.S. sanctions and compensation for war damage conditions for renewed negotiations, describing those reports as unfounded.
The comments indicate that Washington is continuing to combine diplomatic messaging with economic and military pressure rather than announcing a new formal negotiating process.
Iran Sets Conditions for Talks
Iranian officials have publicly described different conditions for any renewed diplomatic process.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said through social media that Tehran had communicated its conditions to the United States through mediators. He said Iran would not return to the previous situation regarding the Strait of Hormuz unless U.S. commitments were honored.
Al Jazeera reported that Iranian officials had also conveyed conditions to Qatari and Pakistani mediators, including an end to the war and U.S. attacks, the release of frozen Iranian funds and the lifting of the U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports.
These positions show that while Washington is publicly maintaining an opening for negotiations, the two sides remain separated over the terms under which talks could resume.
Strait of Hormuz Remains a Major Issue
The diplomatic dispute is unfolding alongside continued disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy shipping routes.
Reuters reported on Monday that only about a dozen commodity vessels crossed the strait over the preceding weekend, compared with 35 during the previous weekend. Before the current conflict, roughly 125 large vessels typically passed through the waterway each day.
The reduced traffic has increased concerns over energy supplies, shipping costs and regional economic stability. Oil shipments have continued, however, with some Gulf producers using alternative methods to keep exports moving.
Diplomatic Window Ahead of UN Meeting
The latest U.S. comments come as world leaders gather in New York for the United Nations General Assembly.
President Donald Trump has said he is considering several options regarding Iran, including a possible deal, while also indicating that he could meet Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian during the UN gathering. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is also expected in New York for the General Assembly.
The immediate outlook for negotiations remains uncertain. Both Washington and Tehran continue to state positions that would need to be reconciled before a formal diplomatic process could restart.
For now, the United States says the negotiating channel remains available, while Iran continues to insist that any renewed talks must address its stated conditions.
