Iran has set out a fresh list of conditions for reopening the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, adding another hurdle to efforts to ease the ongoing conflict between Tehran and Washington.
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council has demanded that the United States end its naval blockade of Iranian ports, withdraw American forces from the region and provide compensation for damage caused by the war.
The demands were outlined in a statement issued by council secretary Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, who is also a commander in Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, according to Iranian state media.
Iran demands ‘full compensation’ from US
Iran has said it will not agree to reopen the Strait of Hormuz until Washington changes its approach.
Among Tehran’s key demands are an end to US threats, a permanent halt to the war involving Iran and its allies in West Asia, and the lifting of the naval blockade on Iranian ports.
Iran has also called for “full compensation” for damage caused by the conflict. It wants the United States to release frozen Iranian assets and lift sanctions.
Washington has not yet publicly responded to the latest demands.
The United States has been seeking an agreement that would allow commercial vessels to safely navigate the Strait of Hormuz. The waterway has remained at the centre of negotiations because of its importance to global energy supplies.
Why is the Strait of Hormuz important?
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important oil shipping routes. It connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.
Around 20% of global oil trade passes through the waterway, making any disruption a major concern for energy markets and international shipping.
Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday that Tehran was close to reaching an understanding with Oman on navigation through the strait.
However, Araghchi said reopening the waterway would depend on additional conditions, including compensation for what he described as US violations of the Islamabad Agreement.
Oman said discussions with Iran were continuing in a “positive and constructive atmosphere”.
UAE-linked ship attacked in Strait of Hormuz
The latest diplomatic developments came after the United Arab Emirates said a vessel owned by state-run Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday.
ADNOC said there were no reported casualties in the incident.
The company also said more than a dozen of its vessels had been attacked in the strait since the US-Iran conflict began earlier this year.
The incident has added to concerns over the safety of commercial shipping through the crucial waterway.
JD Vance says talks remain ongoing
US Vice President JD Vance said Washington had made progress towards an arrangement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but cautioned that a final agreement had not yet been reached.
Vance said the United States was examining how a safe traffic system could be established for ships using the waterway.
The latest developments suggest that negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz remain complex, with Iran seeking major concessions from Washington before agreeing to restore normal maritime traffic.
For global energy markets and shipping companies, the reopening of the waterway could be crucial in reducing uncertainty and restoring safer commercial movement through one of the world’s busiest energy corridors.
