Iran makes an offer to the US – and threatens at the same time

Iran’s government has sent mixed signals to Washington: While Secretary of State Araghtschi renewed the offer to open the Strait of Hormuz, the newly appointed Secretary of Defense Ketabchi threatened US President Trump. Iran has confirmed its offer to the US to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The opening of the strait could take place within seven days, said Foreign Minister Abbas Araghtschi on the sidelines of a meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Baghdad. As conditions, he once again called for an end to the US blockade of Iranian ports and the sanctions against oil exports. According to Aragochi, the Iranian government is currently considering a US offer. Washington calls for a significant reduction in Iran’s uranium enrichment to end the eight-month war. Around one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade ran through the strategically important strait before the war. Since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, energy prices worldwide are on a high flight. While Foreign Minister Aragchi approached Washington with an offer, his new cabinet colleague, who today confirmed by the Iranian parliament as Defense Minister, aviation expert Mehrdad Achlaghi Ketabchi, formulated a threat against the US. President Donald Trump should focus on withdrawing his troops safely from the region. If the “American enemy” commits another miscalculation, the answer will be “surprising and comprehensive,” according to Ketabchi. He responded to reports that the US is planning to attack Iranian nuclear facilities again. The US army "would very likely not dare to attack us again," Ketabchi said. “If it does, it will have to face considerable damage – just like the entire region.” If he drops a single bomb, he has to see how many of his soldiers he has to move horizontally out of the region. Long-standing official of the Ketabchi mullah regime has been head of the aerospace industry organization and is on sanctions lists in the US and EU. According to the government, the 68-year-old received 237 votes in parliament. In total, 277 ballots were cast. Ketabchi succeeds General Asis Nasirsadeh, who was killed at the end of February on the first day of the attacks by the US and Israel. Since then, the office had been vacant and was provisionally exercised by a general of the Revolutionary Guards. The elite army and the supreme leader, Mozhaba Khamenei, usually make the most important military decisions. Ketabchi had worked for the ministry for 42 years, but did not hold military rank. Since 2013, he has been at the head of an Iranian arms industry association. With information from Christian Buttkereit, ARD-Studio Istanbul