Iran States Strait of Hormuz Will Remain Closed Until US Halts Naval Blockade
Foreign Ministry says reopening depends on conditions imposed by American and Israeli authorities.
Quick Look
- Iran announced the Strait of Hormuz will not reopen until the US halts its naval blockade, citing military aggression by the US and Israel.
- Foreign Minister Araghchi confirmed no active negotiations are underway with Washington.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The Strait of Hormuz is a vital transit choke point linking the Persian Gulf to global oil markets.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei stated on Monday that the Strait of Hormuz will not be reopened until the United States halts its naval blockade against Iran, according to local media reports.
Speaking at a weekly press briefing in Tehran, Baghaei attributed the closure of the strategic choke point to military aggression against Iran by the US and Israel. He underlined that reopening the critical corridor depends directly on the conditions imposed on Iran and the waterway by American and Israeli authorities, Iran's semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported.
"As long as the US naval blockade continues, the necessary conditions for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz do not exist," Baghaei said, urging Washington to halt and reverse its actions so both sides could discuss further steps.
The Strait of Hormuz links the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea and is a key route for global crude oil and LNG shipments from Gulf exporters.
Baghaei said discussions with Oman on maritime transit through the strait remain a strictly bilateral matter, separate from Iran's standoff with Washington.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that technical talks with Oman on finalising a revised maritime passage through the strait are in their concluding stage. However, he cautioned that any maritime agreement with Muscat would not amount to reopening the waterway to traffic.
"This agreement may be reached, but the opening of the Strait of Hormuz is subject to a series of conditions," Araghchi said, as per Tasnim.
Araghchi, addressing media at the Foreign Ministry's Centre for Political and International Studies, said there are currently no active negotiations with the United States. "Intermediaries are still making efforts to find ways to resume negotiations," he said, adding that talks cannot resume until Washington ends its violations of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and makes amends for the breaches committed.
Meanwhile, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on August 2 that its naval forces had redirected 35 commercial vessels, disabled two and boarded two others in Middle Eastern waters as part of Washington's resumed maritime blockade of Iran.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Oman and Iran will conclude technical talks on maritime passage.
Likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- What specific conditions is Iran demanding from the US and Israel?
- Will technical talks with Oman yield any shift in regional transit?
