Iran has set conditions for the U.S. to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, saying it will not do so until Donald Trump’s administration meets a wide-ranging set of demands.
In a statement on Saturday, Mohammad Zolghadr, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said the strait would remain closed until Washington ends its hostile behaviour.
He stated that the U.S. must end sanctions against the country, release frozen Iranian assets, end the war in Iran and pay restitution for its damages.
The statement, circulated by Iranian state media, said the strait would not open “until America corrects its behaviour.”
The six demands include an end to U.S. threats and military action, a permanent end to the war, withdrawal of U.S. naval and air forces from around Iran, compensation for war damages, sanctions relief and the release of frozen Iranian assets.
Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s foreign minister, was quoted by military-affiliated outlet Tasnim on Saturday as saying that the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz would very likely depend on conditions the U.S. accepts.
Mr Araghchi said, “The reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is subject to the specific mechanisms and conditions of the Islamic Republic of Iran and has no connection to negotiations between Iran and Oman.
“The Strait of Hormuz is not merely an economic waterway for us; rather, it is an element of geopolitical and strategic power.
“The reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is conditional on the United States fully accepting Iran’s conditions and ceasing its interference in the regional negotiation process. Whenever the United States accepts Iran’s conditions, the Strait of Hormuz will certainly be reopened.”
