Iran: Hormuz Reopening Hinges on US Conditions

The reopening of the Strait of Hormuz has nothing to do with the negotiations between Iran and Oman and depends solely on whether the US accepts Iran's conditions. According to the Tasnim news agency, General Hossein Mohebbi, a spokesman for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), made this statement on Saturday.

An American official, who asked not to be named, said on Friday that Washington expects an early agreement between Iran and Oman, which lie on either side of the strait, so that normal oil shipments can resume.

Mohebbi emphasized that the reopening of this strategic waterway has its own legal and defense mechanisms and is completely independent of talks with Oman. According to Iran's calculations, the strait is not merely an economic route but represents a paramount geopolitical asset and source of the country's strength, utilized for defense and sovereignty. The timing and manner of its opening are directly subject to the formally established conditions of the Islamic Republic.

The spokesperson stated that the enemy must fully accept Tehran's "legal and logical conditions" for opening the shipping lanes. At the same time, he called on the United States to refrain from interfering in the negotiations between Iran and Oman or other countries in the region, which are in their final stages.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Iran and Oman are "very close" to an agreement on a new maritime route through the Strait of Hormuz. However, he confirmed that its reopening depends on further conditions, including compensation, for Iran from the US.

Mohebbi added that the US must abandon its interventionist approach and accept Tehran's demands. As soon as the US accepts these conditions, the prerequisites for reopening the Strait of Hormuz will be clearly met.

(Reuters, Tasnim, Max)