Iran Says Hormuz Stays Closed Until U.S. Meets Six Sweeping Demands
Iran has effectively rejected expectations of an imminent reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, laying out sweeping conditions that would require the United States to fundamentally change its policy toward Tehran. In a statement issued by Mohammad Baqer Zolghadr, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Tehran said the strait would remain closed until Washington ends what Iran…
The Strait of Hormuz remains under Iranian control, with Tehran outlining six stringent demands that the United States must fulfill before any reopening. According to Mohammad Baqer Zolghadr, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, the strait will stay shut until Washington stops hostile actions and meets Iran's demands.
These demands include the cessation of U.S. threats, military actions, and naval/air force presence around Iran, compensation for war damages, sanctions relief, release of frozen Iranian assets, and withdrawal of U.S. forces from the region.
The statement from Iran highlights a significant divergence from the U.S.-Iran draft agreement, which Tehran does not view as a pathway to reopen Hormuz. Any potential agreement would require approval from Iran's Supreme National Security Council. Shipping data further underscores the ongoing disruption, with only 33 vessels passing through Hormuz from Monday to Thursday, down from 50 the previous week.
Only six crude tankers are reported to have cleared the strait outbound this week, despite expectations of progress between Iran and Oman on a shipping corridor.
This uncertainty has kept the energy market in a state of flux. Iran has reportedly been contemplating restrictions on U.S. and Israeli vessels, while previous proposals for transit fees have introduced additional complexity. The European Union has accused Iran's Revolutionary Guard Navy of enforcing a screening and toll system for vessels using the strait.
However, the United States presents a more optimistic outlook, with Vice President Kamala Harris stating that the U.S. anticipates Gulf oil and gas flows to return to pre-war levels. Iran reportedly told Washington it has no intentions to impose tolls, though the U.S. lacks full confidence in Tehran's assurances. The contrasting interpretations of the negotiations between Washington and Tehran leave oil traders questioning whether both sides are negotiating the same outcome.
For traders, the critical question is no longer whether talks are ongoing, but whether they are converging on the same result.
Written by urgent.news from OilPrice's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
