Iran issues demands for reopening of Strait of Hormuz

Iran is demanding specific conditions before reopening the Strait of Hormuz, including compensation for war damages. This complicates a potential deal to open the waterway, which is crucial to the global economy. Iran imposed a blockade of the strait following U.S. and Israeli strikes in late February, and now wants to charge tolls for passage, targeting ships that attempt to bypass the designated route.

The strait's blockade led to the collapse of a ceasefire in April, prompting mediators to urge both sides to adhere to the terms of a June memorandum.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that talks with Oman about the strait's transit and management are nearing completion, but reopening the Hormuz is contingent on other conditions, such as compensation for the June agreement violation. Security chief Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr outlined demands for the strait's reopening, including an end to aggression against Iran and its allies in Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, and Iraq.

He also called for the lifting of a U.S. naval blockade, ending sanctions, releasing frozen assets, and providing compensation for wartime damages.

Meanwhile, Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed that the strait's reopening is unrelated to the Iran-Oman negotiations, stating that the enemy must accept Iran's conditions for opening the strait. The drop in transit through Hormuz has been significant, with Iran targeting ships it believes are using alternative routes through Iranian waters.

The UAE condemned an Iranian missile attack on an ADNOC tanker in the Hormuz, while the UK Maritime Trade Operations reported a ship was hit by a projectile off Oman, causing a fire. The extent of the damage is unclear, as it is uncertain if the incidents were linked.

ADNOC reported that 15 of its vessels have been attacked in the Hormuz since the war began, including three this week alone. Oman's foreign ministry condemned the attacks on vessels transiting the strait but did not single out Iran. The UN forbids tolling in international waterways, and Turkey's foreign minister expressed hope that Egypt would join a joint defense agreement between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan to stabilize the region.

Meanwhile, a drone strike on Egyptian territory marked the first such attack since the Iran war started.