Iran demands US compensation for memo violations to reopen Hormuz; claims 'very close' to Oman deal

Iran has stipulated that the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz hinges on the United States compensating for alleged violations of a June memorandum of understanding, according to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. He stated that the passage's reopening is contingent on conditions separate from ongoing negotiations with Oman concerning a new shipping route.

Araghchi indicated that Iran and Oman are nearing an agreement on establishing a new navigation route within the strategic maritime passage. However, he acknowledged that the process presents significant technical and legal challenges. The previously used traffic separation scheme (TSS) is no longer acceptable to Iran, prompting the collaboration with Muscat to develop a new system.

Both nations are currently negotiating a provisional route that would serve as a foundation for a definitive one. In recent weeks, Tehran has accused Washington of breaching the memorandum of understanding signed on June 17. These accusations stem from alleged U.S. attacks on Iranian territory in July and the reinstatement of a naval blockade on Iranian ports and vessels, which Iran attributes to its own closure of the Strait.

Earlier on Saturday, Revolutionary Guard Corps spokesperson General Hossein Mohebbi echoed these sentiments, asserting that the Strait's reopening depends on the U.S. fully accepting Tehran's conditions, without specifying them, and ceasing interference in regional negotiations, specifically referencing the talks between Iran and Oman. Iranian authorities reported on Wednesday that an agreement with Oman on the geographical aspects of a new navigation route was imminent, with a joint declaration in the final stages of drafting.