Today witnessed rapid developments on both the diplomatic and nuclear fronts in Iran. The Iranian Foreign Ministry announced it had received a new US proposal and had already responded to it. Spokesman Esmail Baqaei said the proposal resembles previous ones and focuses on the nuclear file, while Tehran wants the Strait of Hormuz to be a main axis in the talks. He denied that the issue of returning IAEA inspectors had been discussed. In the same context, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stressed that the Strait of Hormuz will not be reopened unless Iran's seven conditions are met in the interim agreement with Washington. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi affirmed that the door of diplomacy to end the war remains open, considering that negotiation based on 'justice, fairness, and diplomatic dignity' is the only solution, warning that Tehran's response to any new military confrontation will be 'stronger than before', and revealing the start of a 'new path of confidence-building' with neighboring countries, especially in the Gulf. In Washington, President Donald Trump said Iran 'has effectively abandoned many of its plans related to nuclear weapons', reaffirming that it will not get a nuclear weapon, and revealing that he will make 'a decision on Iran soon', after he announced on Friday that the war with Iran will end 'very soon'.
Iran's Foreign Ministry welcomed in a statement the withdrawal of US and other foreign forces from Iraq, describing the step as 'extremely important' for consolidating national sovereignty and Iraq's territorial unity. It held the US military presence and its allies responsible for spreading violence and divisions, pointing to huge human and material losses since the 2003 invasion, and called for holding Washington accountable for the 'crimes' committed. In an urgent security development, a British authority announced that a tanker was hit by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, with no further details yet on the identity of the tanker or the source of the projectile.
On the economic front, the Iranian rial recorded a new record low in the open market, with the euro reaching 3 million rials for the first time, about $1.12, according to the Bonbast website. This reflects negatively on the purchasing power of Iranians, with average wages declining and food prices rising in Tehran, amid a US blockade on Iranian ports, economic sanctions, and an effective halt of oil trade.
In a separate context, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune commented for the first time on the emergency landing of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian's plane in Algeria, only affirming that Algerian airports welcome presidents who request to land there, after the plane landed at Houari Boumediene International Airport on September 22 last month due to a technical emergency stop. Tebboune, during his periodic meeting with the national press, affirmed that Algeria has no problems with anyone and is ready to mediate if asked.