Iran’s former foreign minister Javad Zarif has called for a negotiated end to the ongoing war, arguing that Tehran must pivot toward diplomacy and accept limited concessions to prevent further economic and human losses.

Writing in Foreign Affairs, Zarif said the conflict has reached a point where neither side can achieve a decisive victory, warning that continued escalation risks deeper regional instability and long-term damage to Iran’s state and society.

He outlined a potential pathway to de-escalation centered on the nuclear issue, suggesting Iran could accept stricter limits and enhanced monitoring of its nuclear program in exchange for comprehensive sanctions relief.

Zarif also stressed the need to restore stability in global energy markets, including ensuring the reopening and security of vital shipping lanes such as the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery for global oil flows that has been severely disrupted during the conflict.

Beyond nuclear concessions, he proposed a broader regional framework based on non-aggression commitments between Iran and its neighbors, aimed at reducing tensions that have fueled repeated cycles of confrontation across the Middle East.

However, Zarif acknowledged that such a shift would face resistance inside Iran, where hardline factions remain skeptical of negotiations and view compromise as a strategic concession to Western pressure.

He argued that any agreement would require reciprocal steps from the United States and its allies, including not only sanctions relief but also a credible commitment to avoid future military escalation.

The former diplomat, who helped negotiate Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, framed diplomacy as the only viable exit from a war that has already inflicted heavy costs across the region.

“Prolonging the conflict will only deepen instability,” he wrote, urging leaders to pursue a framework based on mutual restraint rather than outright victory.

Zarif’s intervention comes as fighting enters its sixth week, with rising oil prices, disrupted trade routes and mounting civilian casualties underscoring the urgency of a diplomatic breakthrough.