Iran has said it is preparing conditions for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz as diplomatic efforts intensify to revive negotiations with the United States and end the ongoing conflict.
The Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Mohsen Rezaei, said Tehran was preparing a list of conditions following requests from regional mediators seeking to restore normal shipping through the strategic waterway.
Rezaei said the United States would have to take “practical steps” to meet Iran’s demands before Tehran would agree to reopen the strait.
Among the issues being considered by Tehran are measures linked to ending the regional war, lifting what Iran describes as a US blockade, compensation for war-related damage and the removal of economic sanctions.
The development followed a visit to Tehran by Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who held talks with senior Iranian officials on Thursday as part of efforts to revive stalled diplomacy.
After the meetings, the Qatari prime minister said he had stressed “the importance of respecting freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz in accordance with international law.”
The Strait of Hormuz, which lies between Iran and Oman, is one of the world’s most important energy routes. Before the conflict disrupted maritime traffic, approximately one-fifth of global oil supplies passed through the waterway.
Iran has also reached an agreement in principle with Oman on a shipping corridor through Iranian and Omani waters, although important details concerning the arrangement are still being negotiated.
The proposed corridor could provide a pathway for commercial vessels to move through the region while broader discussions over the future of the strait continue.
The situation remains complicated by the different positions of Tehran and Washington.
US President Donald Trump has maintained that the Strait of Hormuz is open while asserting that the United States controls the situation.
“The Strait of Hormuz is open, we have control and we have the blockade,” Trump said.
The United States has also said its military has cleared internationally recognised shipping lanes of Iranian sea mines, potentially creating a safer route for commercial vessels operating under US protection.
Despite the US position, shipping activity through the strait remains significantly below normal levels. Reuters reported that only seven commodity vessels transited the waterway on Thursday, compared with 17 the previous day and a 10-day average of 15 vessels.
The renewed diplomatic efforts come as the economic consequences of the disruption continue to affect global energy markets. Oil prices and shipping costs remain sensitive to developments around the strait because of its importance to global energy supplies.
Iran has previously insisted that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed unless Washington agreed to its conditions, making the waterway one of the central issues in negotiations aimed at ending the conflict.
For now, Tehran’s latest move suggests that reopening the Strait of Hormuz is being tied directly to wider diplomatic and security demands, rather than treated as a standalone maritime issue.
The proposed conditions and the outcome of negotiations with the United States could determine how quickly normal commercial shipping returns to the strategically important waterway.
How did this story make you feel?
Join the conversation
Share a thoughtful response. Submissions may be reviewed before appearing.
