Iran Sets Drastic Conditions for Reopening Strait of Hormuz, Demands End to U.S. 'Aggression'

Iran has issued a stark ultimatum regarding the strategic Strait of Hormuz, demanding that the United States fundamentally alter its policies before the vital waterway can be reopened. A senior Iranian official stated that the U.S. must "definitively end the war and aggression" against Iran and its allies, and lift the blockade imposed on Iranian ports.

These drastic conditions, articulated by Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, cast a shadow over recent diplomatic progress. While Iran and Oman had reportedly been discussing the future management of the strait, Zolghadr's statements suggest a significant impasse remains. He explicitly warned that "as long as the United States does not change its behavior, the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed."

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As long as the United States does not change its behavior, the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed.

Among Iran's other demands are the complete removal of American sanctions, the unfreezing of Iranian assets, and "full compensation" for damages incurred during the conflict, which began with an American-Israeli offensive against Iran on February 28. Some of these points were part of a previous memorandum of understanding in June that established a ceasefire and allowed traffic to resume in the strait, paving the way for broader negotiations. However, this truce disintegrated in early July, leading to a resurgence of American strikes and Iranian retaliations against Washington's allies in the Middle East.

Tehran is unwilling to revert to the pre-war status quo and intends to eventually impose service fees for passage through the strait, a proposition firmly rejected by the U.S. Despite these tensions, Iran recently announced an agreement with Oman on a transit route for ships. The Omani Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the negotiations as "positive and constructive" but, without naming Iran, condemned "repeated attacks" and urged restraint to avoid jeopardizing the diplomatic process. Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi reported that an oil tanker belonging to the UAE's national company was hit by a missile in the strait, an attack it attributed to Iran.

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The negotiations are proceeding in a positive and constructive atmosphere.