Iran says Strait of Hormuz stays shut until US meets terms

Iran will keep the Strait of Hormuz closed until Washington meets seven conditions set out in a June interim agreement, parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf said on Sunday, Oct. 4. His remarks came a few days after Tehran received the U.S. reply to its latest diplomatic proposal.business-standard+1

The statement shows that indirect talks between the two governments have not settled the main obstacle to reopening one of the world's busiest energy shipping routes. Both sides are still trading messages through intermediaries.

"Clear and firm"

Iran's semi-official Nournews carried Ghalibaf's comments, and Reuters reported them. Ghalibaf said the United States had recently sent proposals through a mediator, and that those proposals differed from what Washington was saying in public.business-standard

> "The Americans, who say something different in the media, have recently put forward proposals through a mediator. But they must understand that the period of dragging out the process and dictating one-sided demands is over," he was quoted as saying.timesofisrael+1

"The position of the Islamic Republic of Iran is completely clear and firm, and the Strait of Hormuz will not be opened until our seven conditions, based on the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, are met," he added.arabnews+1

According to Iran's state news agency IRNA, Ghalibaf spoke in parliament in Tehran. He said Iran would keep preparing militarily while pursuing diplomacy, and that negotiations must be backed by strength. The regional outlet WANA quoted him as saying, "We will both fight and negotiate".wanaen+1

Conditions not spelled out

Ghalibaf did not list the seven conditions. The National reported that the Islamabad memorandum is a June 17 framework for talks on a lasting peace. The paper said Tehran has repeatedly asked for an end to the fighting, the lifting of the U.S. naval blockade, the release of frozen Iranian assets and relief from sanctions. Ghalibaf also did not reveal what the U.S. proposals contained. According to The National, however, his comments suggest the two sides are still negotiating over the terms for reopening the strait.thenationalnews

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi earlier put forward a seven-day proposal for reopening the waterway and returning to talks. "If the necessary conditions are met, the strait could be reopened," he said. "The choice now is with the US".thenationalnews

Pressure from Washington

The National reported that the talks have stalled and that officials in Tehran are preparing for the possibility of another major round of fighting. U.S. President Donald Trump has signalled that a decision on Iran is coming. According to Al Jazeera, he said, "the only question is, it'll either be the easy way or the hard way".aljazeera+1