Iran Sets Stringent Preconditions for Reopening Strait of Hormuz Amid Ongoing Tensions

DUBAI — Iran has established a series of demanding preconditions for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime passage for global energy supplies, complicating efforts to restore free navigation through the waterway. Tehran’s conditions include compensation for war damages and the lifting of sanctions, signaling a complex path ahead for any potential agreement.

Since late February, following strikes by the United States and Israel, Iran has effectively imposed a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz. The country has also sought to impose tolls on vessels passing through the strait and has targeted ships it accuses of avoiding its preferred transit routes. These actions have disrupted what was previously an open international waterway, through which about a fifth of the world’s traded oil and gas flows.

The ongoing attacks and Iran’s control efforts led to the collapse of a ceasefire in April. Since then, mediators have urged both Iran and the United States to adhere to the terms of a June memorandum of understanding aimed at stabilizing the region and ensuring safe passage through the strait.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi indicated that discussions with Oman regarding the management and transit of vessels through the strait are nearing completion. However, he emphasized that reopening the strait depends on additional conditions, including compensation for violations of the June agreement.

On Saturday, Iran’s security chief Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr outlined a comprehensive list of demands for reopening the strait. These include an end to what Iran describes as ongoing war and aggression against itself and its allies in Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, and Iraq. He also called for the lifting of the U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports, the removal of sanctions, the release of frozen Iranian assets, and reparations for wartime damages, according to reports by the Tasnim news agency.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards stated that the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is independent of the negotiations with Oman. They asserted that the opposing parties must accept Iran’s conditions for the strait’s reopening, underscoring Tehran’s firm stance on the issue.

The impact of Iran’s blockade and attacks has been significant, with maritime traffic through the strait dropping sharply. Iran has targeted vessels it accuses of bypassing its preferred transit routes through Iranian territorial waters, further heightening tensions.

The United Arab Emirates condemned a recent missile attack on a tanker belonging to the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) while it was transiting the strait. The attack, which caused no casualties, was described by the UAE foreign ministry as hostile. Similarly, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported a projectile strike on a ship off Oman in the Strait of Hormuz, which resulted in a fire that was extinguished without injuries. It remains unclear if these incidents involved the same vessel.

ADNOC disclosed that since the onset of the conflict, 15 of its vessels have been attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, including three attacks in the past week alone. Oman’s foreign ministry also condemned repeated attacks on vessels in the strait without directly naming Iran. It highlighted that ongoing negotiations on navigation arrangements are progressing positively and urged all parties to avoid actions that could undermine this progress.

The previous Iran-U.S. agreement had envisioned that Iran and Oman would develop future arrangements for the strait in consultation with other Gulf countries and in accordance with international law. However, international law generally prohibits the imposition of tolls or fees in such international waterways, a point that remains contentious.

In a related development, Turkey’s foreign minister expressed expectations that Egypt would join a regional defense pact involving Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan aimed at stabilizing the Middle East. He described Egypt as a natural partner on regional issues and indicated that the alliance does not target any specific country. The pact, according to Pakistan’s foreign ministry, considers an attack on any member as an attack on all, intending to strengthen collective deterrence.

This announcement follows a recent drone strike on U.S. assets at an Egyptian Mediterranean port, marking the first such attack on Egyptian territory since the outbreak of the Iran conflict. The evolving regional security dynamics underscore the complexity of achieving a stable resolution to the Strait of Hormuz crisis and broader Middle Eastern tensions.