ISLAMABAD: Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has appreciated mediation efforts by Pakistan and Qatar to resolve its conflict with the United States (US), as regional powers attempt to avert new fighting after the US midterm elections.

Araghchi was speaking to Al Jazeera on Saturday, where he said Tehran has studied a letter sent by US Vice President JD Vance and set out Tehran’s conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which he said would pave the way for renewed negotiations with Washington.

Pakistan and Qatar have played a leading role in trying to resolve the US-Iran conflict, which has persisted since February. Iranian negotiators held talks in Doha with Qatari mediators on Saturday, while Pakistan’s military chief traveled to Tehran twice this month to hold talks on regional peace with defense officials from regional countries and Iran.

US President Donald Trump has held off on strikes on Iran in recent weeks ahead of midterm elections this week that will determine whether his Republican Party will retain its thin majorities in both houses of the US Congress.

“He [Araghchi] expressed appreciation for the ongoing efforts and outreach by Qatar and Pakistan regarding Tehran’s conditions — including lifting sanctions, unfreezing blocked assets, reducing the US military presence in the region, and ending the war across all fronts, including in Lebanon,” Iranian state news agency IRNA reported on Saturday.

One of the key areas of disagreement between the US and Iran is the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz maritime trade route. Iran has fired at commercial ships in the strait since February, drastically reducing trade through the narrow passageway.

A central ‌point of disagreement has been Washington’s insistence on addressing Iran’s nuclear program from the outset. Tehran says negotiations should initially focus on reopening the Strait of ‌Hormuz, which before the war carried about a fifth of the global ⁠trade in ⁠oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG), and restoring security in the waterway.

Araghchi said Iran’s proposal for reopening the strait was the only plan currently on the table, though mediators had put forward proposals on the nuclear issue that Tehran was reviewing within the framework of the second phase of negotiations.

“On the Strait of Hormuz plan, Araghchi clarified that Iran sought recognition for a new shipping route — established in cooperation with Oman — within the strait, alongside the closure of other routes,” IRNA reported.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Saturday that Trump has not decided whether to launch new strikes against Iran, but would prefer to resolve the conflict diplomatically.

During the interview, Araghchi said Tehran did not rule out the outbreak of a new war with the US, adding that Iran remained prepared for all scenarios.

“He noted that the country had upgraded its weaponry, tested new armaments, and that its armed forces were at the highest level of combat readiness,” IRNA said.

Countries in the region have been anticipating that ​Trump could ‌restart ⁠attacks once ​the ⁠voting is over. Iran has repeatedly said it would respond to any new attacks by striking at US and Israeli targets in neighboring countries.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei issued a statement on Saturday ordering the armed forces to be prepared to respond to any attacks. The Iranian military later announced it was taking steps to improve its readiness.