Iran discusses Strait of Hormuz transit safety in talks with Azerbaijan

The top of diplomats of Iran and Azerbaijan held talks over the phone on Wednesday to discuss regional developments, as Tehran said it is seeking to develop arrangements aimed at strengthening and facilitating safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz.

A statement by the Iranian Foreign Ministry said Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi discussed with his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov the latest developments related to diplomacy, regional issues and bilateral relations.

The discussions came a day after Araghchi said Tehran is holding consultations to develop executive arrangements aimed at strengthening and facilitating safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz in accordance with international law.

He made the remarks during a meeting in Tehran on Tuesday with Norway’s Deputy Foreign Minister Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik.

According to ministry, Araghchi described what he called the United States’ “maximalist approach,” threatening rhetoric and “lack of good faith” as the main obstacles to a permanent end to the war and any potential agreement.

He also said the “main source” of the current situation in the Strait of Hormuz was the US and Israeli military attacks against Iran, followed by repeated ceasefire violations and the continued blockade of Iranian ports.

Regional tensions have escalated since the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, triggering retaliation from Tehran against Israel as well as US allies in the Gulf, along with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

A ceasefire took effect on April 8 through Pakistani mediation, but talks in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting agreement. The truce was later extended by US President Donald Trump without a set deadline.

On Sunday, Iran sent Pakistan its response to a US proposal for ending the war, but Trump dismissed it as “totally unacceptable.”