Iran sets six preconditions for Strait of Hormuz reopening as US ties compliance to shipping
Tehran insists Washington must halt hostilities, lift sanctions and withdraw forces before the critical waterway reopens, while President Pezeshkian calls for a diplomatic exit from the current stalemate.
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, led by secretary Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, has issued six new demands for the United States as a prerequisite for the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The conditions, outlined in a statement published by state broadcaster IRIB, require an end to US threats and insults to Iran’s national and religious values, a permanent halt to attacks against Iran and its allies in Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen and Iraq, and the withdrawal of US naval and air forces from the region.
The council also demanded compensation for damage from what Zolghadr described as two “imposed wars”, the lifting of sanctions, and the unconditional release of frozen Iranian assets. Zolghadr stated that the strait would remain closed until Washington “corrects its behaviour”, marking a shift from the June memorandum which treated similar issues as part of a reciprocal and phased process.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reinforced the stance, with spokesperson Hossein Mohebbi telling the semi-official Tasnim news agency that the strait’s reopening depends on Washington accepting these terms. The IRGC clarified that the security demands are distinct from ongoing diplomatic negotiations between Iran and Oman regarding the transit and management of the waterway.
In contrast, an unnamed US official told Reuters that Washington would lift its blockade of Iranian ports once commercial shipping through Hormuz is restored “without impediments”, tying US actions to Iran’s compliance with its commitments. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has confirmed that discussions with Oman are approaching final stages, though any agreement remains subject to Tehran’s demands.
President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed support for reaching a diplomatic resolution, describing the current situation as “neither war nor peace”. Speaking at a news conference, Pezeshkian highlighted national unity and suggested that Tehran and Washington should establish a mechanism to handle alleged violations of the earlier memorandum rather than allowing disputes to escalate to military confrontation.
