Iran will not soften its stance on its nuclear program, even if the United States agrees to its proposal for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a senior Iranian official said Friday. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the strait will stay closed until the United States meets all of Iran's conditions. Tehran is prepared to negotiate the details of its nuclear program, the official added, but only once those conditions have been satisfied, according to Reuters. The offer comes after a sharp rise in Middle East tensions, following seven months of war between Iran and the US and a wave of missile and drone attacks by Iran-backed Houthi militias in Yemen against Saudi Arabia. Speaking to journalists Thursday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said he hopes a deal to end the hostilities can be reached before the US midterm elections on November 3. Israel, the United States and other Western nations have long accused Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons, pointing in part to its enrichment of uranium to 60 percent, a level far beyond what civilian use requires and close to the 90 percent needed for a weapon. Iran denies it is seeking nuclear weapons. Sagar is a journalist with an interest primarily in geopolitics and American domestic politics. Before joining Times Now, he wrote for Republic and Sw... View More