Iranian President Pezeshkian talks about proposal to reopen Strait of Hormuz

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told CBS News's "Face the Nation" that "an atmosphere of distrust" makes it hard to imagine meeting President Trump face-to-face, even though Trump had signaled openness to talks in New York during the United Nations General Assembly. Pezeshkian argued that repeated U.S. sanctions, threats and military strikes undercut any promises, though he said Iran would honor an agreement if Washington accepted Tehran's latest offer, made by its foreign minister, to reopen the Strait of Hormuz after seven days and resume talks toward a full nuclear deal. He said Washington has not yet responded. Trump, addressing the General Assembly, said he faced a "big decision" between reaching a deal or "annihilating" Iran, and predicted no agreement before the midterms.

Pezeshkian blamed the United States for the collapse of a 60-day ceasefire this summer after Iran struck commercial ships and the U.S. retaliated, and he said Iran would accept the earlier framework restricting control of shipping routes near the strait. He told interviewer Margaret Brennan that Iran would now let International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors back in, despite past disputes over access, while insisting Tehran is not pursuing a nuclear weapon because, he said, "developing nuclear weapons is haram."

Pressed on health rumors surrounding Mojtaba Khamenei, who became supreme leader after his father, Ali Khamenei, died in a U.S.-Israeli strike this year, Pezeshkian said the younger Khamenei has "no specific ongoing health issues" and has recovered from earlier injuries, describing a recent seven-hour meeting between them.

Summarized by PolitiKool from CBS News’s reporting. Read the full story at CBS News →