The BRICS TimesIranian President Masoud Pezeshkian tells Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi that Tehran will pursue diplomacy but demands Washington first abandon its maximalist approach, stop what Iran calls “maritime piracy,” and end its provocative actions against Iranian ships in the Gulf.
Iran Keeps the Door Open With Conditions
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Thursday that Tehran remains open to the path of diplomacy. However, he made clear that progress depends entirely on Washington changing course. The comments came during a phone call with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi a conversation that touched on Gulf security, blocked shipping lanes, and the urgent need for renewed talks.
Pezeshkian stressed that achieving a fair and lasting solution is possible. But he insisted it hinges on the US dropping its “maximalist approach and provocative actions.” Without that shift, he suggested, meaningful diplomacy remains out of reach.
Iran Blames US and Israel for Gulf Instability
The Iranian president did not hold back in pointing fingers. He squarely blamed the United States and Israel for the mounting tension in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. He cited what he described as their “aggressive actions” against Iran as the root cause.
Pezeshkian went further calling US actions against Iranian commercial ships outright “maritime piracy.” He demanded the world take notice. He called on every nation to adopt a “clear and firm” stance in condemning the US blockade of Iranian ports and the targeting of Iranian vessels. He described these moves as “provocative and illegal” under international law.
On Persian Gulf Nation Day, the Iranian president also warned that any attempt to impose a blockade or maritime restrictions on the waterway “is contrary to international law and a threat to the regional nations’ interests and global peace and stability, and is doomed to failure.”
Japan Pushes for Safe Passage and Resumed Talks
For her part, Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi brought a message of quiet urgency to the call. The two leaders spoke for roughly 20 minutes their second conversation since US and Israeli strikes on Iran began in late February.
Takaichi told Pezeshkian that Japan places great importance on maintaining “friendly and stable” relations with Tehran. She praised Iran for allowing a Japanese-operated tanker carrying three Japanese crew members to pass safely through the Strait of Hormuz. The ship, managed by a subsidiary of Idemitsu Kosan, made its passage amid the ongoing blockade.
“I informed him that we view the safe passage of one Japanese-related vessel carrying three Japanese crew members through the Strait of Hormuz as a positive development from the perspective of protecting our nationals,” Takaichi wrote on X after the call.
She strongly urged Iran to ensure free and safe navigation through the strait for ships from all countries, including Asian nations as quickly as possible. She added that many Japan-linked vessels, including those with Japanese nationals on board, remain stranded in the Persian Gulf.
Takaichi also pushed hard for the early resumption of US–Iran nuclear talks. She expressed strong hope that consultations would restart soon and ultimately lead to a final agreement.
Background: Talks Stalled After Islamabad Breakdown
The current standoff traces back to mid-April. After a temporary ceasefire, Iran and the United States held intensive talks in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, on April 11 and 12. Those talks which ran for nearly 21 hours ended without any agreement.
Following the breakdown, the US imposed a naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran responded by saying it would not negotiate under threat. Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh separately confirmed at a diplomacy forum in Turkey that face-to-face talks remain stalled because Washington has not yet abandoned its maximalist position on key issues.
“We are still not there yet to move on to an actual meeting because there are issues that the Americans have not yet abandoned their maximalist position,” Khatibzadeh said.
Iran was pushing for a finalized “framework agreement” before agreeing to any in-person meeting. The deputy foreign minister also flatly rejected US claims that enriched uranium would be shipped to America saying: “I can tell you that no enriched material is going to be shipped to United States.”
The Stakes: A Region Watching Closely
The Strait of Hormuz through which roughly a fifth of global oil supplies pass remains at the center of the crisis. Its effective blockade has rattled international shipping and sent shockwaves through energy markets.
Japan, which relies heavily on Gulf oil imports, has made securing safe passage a top diplomatic priority. Tokyo has been quietly working behind the scenes through its embassy in Tehran and Foreign Minister Motegi to secure passage for its vessels and push both sides back toward the negotiating table.
Whether Pezeshkian’s conditional offer of diplomacy will move Washington remains to be seen. For now, the ball as Iran sees it is firmly in the US court.
