WASHINGTON • US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he was willing to go to Iran for talks amid tensions between Teheran and Washington, but also called on Japan, Britain and other nations to join a maritime force to guard oil tankers sailing through the Strait of Hormuz.
Asked if he would be willing to go to Teheran, Mr Pompeo said in an interview on Thursday with Bloomberg TV: "Sure. If that's the call, I'd happily go there... I would welcome the chance to speak directly to the Iranian people."
Iran has, meanwhile, freed nine of 12 Indian crew members from a Panama-flagged tanker seized on July 14, India's foreign ministry said yesterday.
Teheran had accused the MT Riah of smuggling contraband fuel when the ship was detained.
"Nine crew members have been released and they will be on their way to India soon," said Indian foreign ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar.
"Our mission in Iran has requested the concerned Iranian authorities for the release of remaining crew members."
The release left 21 other Indians in Iranian detention, including three from the MT Riah and 18 from the British-flagged Stena Impero tanker, which was also captured by Iranian forces on July 19.
The Stena Impero is at the heart of the showdown between Iran and Britain. Apart from the 18 Indians, there are three Russians, a Latvian and a Filipino on the ship.
Tensions between Iran and the United States have ratcheted up since last year, when President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the Iranian nuclear deal, formally called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, saying it was not strong enough. Washington also reimposed sanctions on Teheran.
Mr Trump has said talks were possible, but the prospect for dialogue appeared to recede on Wednesday when the top military adviser to the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said Teheran would not negotiate with Washington under any circumstances.
The relationship between the two countries has come under increased strain over the past three months following attacks on oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, off the coast of Iran.
In a separate interview broadcast by Fox News, Mr Pompeo said Washington had already asked Japan, Britain, France, Germany, South Korea, Australia and other nations to join a planned maritime security initiative in the Middle East.
"Every country that has an interest in ensuring that those waterways are open, and crude oil and other products can flow through the Strait of Hormuz, needs to participate," Mr Pompeo said.
REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
