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Iran Sets Firm Conditions for Reopening Strait
The newly appointed secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Mohsen Rezaei, announced on Tuesday that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed as long as the United States does not change its behavior and accept Iran’s conditions to end the war .
Rezaei, a close ally of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, made it clear that any potential agreement with Oman regarding a transit route would be separate from the closure of the strait . He told the semi-official Tasnim news agency: “As long as America does not change its behaviour and does not accept Iran’s conditions, the Strait of Hormuz will not be opened” .
Iran’s Demands
Rezaei outlined Tehran’s conditions for ending the conflict and reopening the strait:
- An end to the war
- Payment of Iran’s frozen assets
- A conclusion to the conflict throughout the region, including in Lebanon and GazaÂ
These conditions have been transmitted to the US through mediators . Mohammad Mokhber, an adviser to Khamenei, also reiterated on X that the strait will not reopen until Iran’s conditions are met .
Trump Demands Compensation
President Donald Trump has countered with a new US demand: that Iran pay compensation for the damage it has caused over the last 50 years . At the White House on Monday, Trump stated: “We’re going to ask for money for the damage they’ve done over a 50-year period” . He has also accused Tehran of being “devious negotiators” .
Pakistan’s Mediation Hopes Fade
The escalating rhetoric has dampened hopes that a deal might be close. Earlier, Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, whose country is a key mediator alongside Qatar, had noted that signals in the previous few days suggested an arrangement might be near .
The conflict, which began on February 28, has resulted in thousands of casualties and has seen Iran strike US assets across the region .
