'Hormuz to stay shut until US ends naval blockade'

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei stated on Monday that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the United States ceases its naval blockade against Iran. At a weekly press briefing in Tehran, Baghaei blamed the closure of the critical choke point on military aggression from the US and Israel. He emphasized that reopening the strategic corridor hinges solely on the conditions imposed by American and Israeli authorities on Iran and the waterway, according to Iran's semi-official Tasnim News Agency.

Baghaei urged Washington to halt and reverse its actions, stating that as long as the US naval blockade persists, the prerequisites for reopening the Strait of Hormuz do not exist. He called for both sides to discuss further steps once the US ends its violations, as per Tasnim.

Baghaei mentioned that discussions with Oman regarding maritime transit through the strait remain strictly bilateral and separate from Iran's ongoing standoff with Washington. Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi confirmed that technical talks with Oman on finalizing a revised maritime passage through the strait are nearing completion. However, Araghchi cautioned that any maritime agreement with Muscat would not signify the reopening of the waterway to traffic, as reported by Tasnim.

Regarding talks between Iran and the United States, Araghchi stated that there are currently no active negotiations. He emphasized that intermediaries are still working to find ways to resume negotiations; however, such talks can only take place once Washington discontinues its violations of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and addresses the breaches committed, according to Tasnim.