Iran says Strait of Hormuz can be reopened in two days if US meets its demands

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Tehran, Oct 2 (IANS) Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday that if the United States meets Iran’s “legitimate” demands, it will be possible to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within two days.

At a weekly press conference in Tehran, Baghaei said the basis for any indirect interaction between Iran and the United States through mediators remains the seven-day plan proposed by Tehran in September, adding Iran has reduced the period for implementing the plan to two days based on its good faith.

He noted, “We have announced that if Iran’s demands are met, the possibility will exist to restore security to the Strait of Hormuz and start the negotiation process in a short period of time,” stressing that all these depend on the American side’s decision on how to proceed regarding the future of the process, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Baghaei said Iran has articulated its demands “clearly, reasonably, and logically,” underlining that unless the United States ends its anti-Iran naval blockade and addresses Tehran’s “legitimate” demands, no agreement will be reached and the Strait of Hormuz will not be reopened or secured.

Iran conveyed the seven-day plan containing its conditions for ending the war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz to the United States through mediators on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York on September 22, following which Tehran and Washington have reportedly continued exchanging messages on the proposal.

On February 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and other Iranian cities. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and US bases and assets in the region, and tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz.

The Strait of Hormuz links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. It is one of the world’s most important energy corridors, carrying oil and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) exports from major Gulf producers to international markets.

–IANS

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The House, on the fourth consecutive day, witnessed uproar, with the Opposition insistent on immediate discussion on the issue.

Rijiju said all the allies of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) are also on board regarding a detailed discussion on the NEET issue. He also informed the House about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s message for stern action against those involved in paper leaks.

The proceedings in both Houses have been stalled because of government-opposition deadlock as the former insists on readiness for debate and the latter remains bent on the Education Minister’s resignation before initiating debate.

As the Rajya Sabha proceedings began on Thursday, Kiren Rijiju told the House that the government has engaged with opposition leaders, particularly Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and others, to facilitate the commencement of a discussion in the House.

He said that the government had requested the opposition to decide on the duration and format of the NEET discussion through mutual consent, insisting that it was not right to attach any ‘preconditions’ to it. He claimed that the opposition talks about discussion but keeps obstructing it by imposing conditions.

He said that the opposition’s conduct gives the impression that it was unwilling to engage in discussion about sensitive issues about students and was only resorting to rhetoric.

Rijiju asserted that the NEET examination issue should not be politicised and serious debate should be held in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

Informing the House about the constitution of fast-track courts for speedy justice in NEET paper leaks, Rijiju said that this will ensure that those guilty will receive swift and severe punishment.

He also appealed to the opposition to withdraw their conditions and allow the discussion on the NEET issue to proceed in the House without obstruction.

Opposition benches, refusing to buy the government’s stance, stated that they remain firm on their demands and that the Union Education Minister must resign from his post, taking responsibility for widespread irregularities in the examinations.

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International luxury brands close stores in China over weak consumer demand: Report

New Delhi, Sep 16 (IANS) China’s once-booming luxury market is facing a sharp contraction as international brands close stores across major cities while wealthy consumers cut down their spending, a new report has said.

The report from Uganda-based Nile Post said international brands such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Balenciaga, and Rolex are closing stores in China citing falling demand amid a collapsing middle class and property market crisis.

The report said government policies are failing to stabilise domestic demand when luxury boutiques that once thrived on conspicuous consumption now stand empty.

The publication cited surveys as saying that high-net-worth individuals plan to cut luxury purchases by 10 per cent this year, due to tighter tax oversight, volatile financial markets, and the long-term weakness of the real estate sector.

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Bihar: Junior engineer murdered during robbery in Muzaffarpur

Patna, July 7 (IANS) A junior engineer was murdered during the early hours of Monday in Muzaffarpur’s Kazi Mohammadpur area after a scuffle with thieves who broke into his house, police said.

The Station House Officer (SHO) of Kazi Mohammadpur police station identified the deceased as Mohammad Mumtaz. He was attacked when he resisted the thieves who entered his house on Ramraji Road between 3 and 4 AM to steal valuables.

Mumtaz, posted in Bhagwanpur block of Vaishali district, was at home with his wife and two children at the time of the incident.

He was sleeping in a separate room while his wife and children were in another room when he woke up and tried to foil the robbery, leading to a scuffle with the intruders.

The robbers attacked with sharp-edged weapons, leaving Mumtaz dead on the crime scene. Shockingly, the deceased’s wife, who was sleeping in another room, was not aware of the scuffle and the murder of Mumtaz.

The miscreants also damaged the CCTV DVR installed in the house before fleeing.

Upon receiving information, police teams reached the spot and began an investigation.

A knife used during the commission of the crime has also been recovered from the scene.

City SP Kiran Kumar, who inspected the spot, said, “We have called the FSL and technical team for investigation. Prima facie, it appears to be a case of theft, but the exact motive will be clear only after a detailed probe.”

“Efforts are underway to identify the suspects, and the police have assured that the culprits will be arrested soon,” he said.

The Muzaffarpur police have registered an FIR under relevant sections of murder and robbery against unidentified individuals at Kazi Mohammadpur police station.

The district police have recovered the dead body and sent it to Shri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH), Muzaffarpur, for the post-mortem.

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