Iran is creating new obstacles to efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by presenting a comprehensive list of demands to the United States.
Tehran is demanding, among other things, the lifting of the naval blockade and sanctions, the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the region, war reparations, and the unfreezing of Iranian assets, making it clear that, unless these conditions are met, the vital trade corridor will not be opened.
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Mohammad Bagher Zolgad, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, stated on Saturday that the Strait will remain closed until the United States accepts specific conditions set by the Iranian side.
In a statement broadcast by state media, Zolgadre listed Tehran’s demands.
Among other things, he called on the U.S. to lift the naval blockade and sanctions against Iran, withdraw U.S. military forces from the region surrounding the country, pay war reparations, and unfreeze Iranian assets.
At the same time, it demanded an end to attacks against Tehran’s allies in the region, as well as threats against Iran itself.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the new list of demands.
Zolgadr’s statements came as Iran and Oman are engaged in negotiations over the future management of the Strait of Hormuz, which lies between the two countries. Tehran had effectively closed the Strait in retaliation for the attacks launched against it by the United States and Israel in February.
Until now, there were expectations that an agreement between Iran and Oman could soon allow for the resumption of commercial shipping and help bring down international energy pricesenergy.
However, the list of demands presented by Zolgad changes the situation.
The new conditions may increase pressure on Donald Trump to consider some of Tehran’s demands, if he wishes to limit energy costs for American consumers, at a time when prices pose a political risk for Republicans ahead of the November midterm elections.
Even before Zolgad’s statements, Iranian officials had hinted that the reopening of the Strait was not as imminent as it seemed. Hossein Mohammadi, a spokesman for the Revolutionary Guards, stated that the opening of the sea corridor “does not depend on the Iran-Oman negotiations.”
In remarks to Tasnim, a media outlet affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards, he said that everything would depend on whether “the United States fully accepts Iran’s terms”.
He did not specify at the time what those terms were, beyond the demand that Washington not interfere in Tehran’s negotiations with Oman or other countries.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, for his part, stated that Tehran and Muscat are “very close” to an agreement. He was quick, however, to clarify that this does not automatically mean the immediate reopening of the Strait.
As he noted, their reopening also depends on other conditions, including compensation to Iran from the United States for violations of the Islamabad Memorandum, as Tehran claims.
This refers to the ceasefire agreement signed by Iran and the United States last June, following mediation by Pakistan.
Source: Protothema.gr
