Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf stated on Sunday that the Strait of Hormuz will not reopen until seven Iranian conditions, outlined in a June interim agreement with the US, are fulfilled. According to state media, Qalibaf emphasized that Iran's stance is clear and firm. The conditions are based on the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding. Qalibaf, also Iran's top negotiator, warned that Washington must understand that the period of prolonging the diplomatic process and dictating one-sided demands is over.
Iran had presented a proposal during the UN General Assembly, suggesting that the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened and normal maritime passage restored within seven days if the conditions were met. The US responded to this proposal last week via Qatari intermediaries. A foreign ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, said on Sunday that Tehran had clarified its broad positions to the US response but that additional points remained to be communicated to Washington.
The spokesperson denied that Tehran had offered UN nuclear watchdog inspections of its nuclear facilities in exchange for US sanctions relief, stating that Iran had not entered into nuclear discussions with Washington. According to an official briefed on the talks, the document being circulated outlines a seven-day period of trust-building aimed at returning the two sides to an enhanced version of the memorandum of understanding agreed in June.
The disagreement between Iran and the US centers on the sequencing of the steps rather than the components of the plan. Qatar has been playing a key role in shuttling messages between Washington and Tehran in an effort to end the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway that was previously a conduit for a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas.
The June memorandum of understanding led to a brief ceasefire and included provisions on the strait and Iran's nuclear programme. Separately, foreign minister Abbas Araqchi told foreign ambassadors and diplomats in Tehran on Sunday that Tehran hoped Washington would choose diplomacy but warned that Iran was prepared to respond if the US again chose military action.
Araqchi's warning comes after sources told Reuters that Iran was preparing a broader and more forceful response if Washington resumed large-scale military attacks. On Sunday, army spokesperson Mohammad Akraminia told Fars news agency that Iran would upgrade the range of its missiles. This development has raised concerns about the potential for further escalation in the region.
The situation remains tense, with Iran and the US yet to reach a mutually acceptable agreement. The Iranian government's stance on the Strait of Hormuz and its nuclear programme remains firm, and it is unclear how the US will respond to these demands. One thing is certain, however: the fate of the Strait of Hormuz and the future of US-Iran relations hang in the balance.
Key points
- Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf stated that the Strait of Hormuz will not reopen until seven Iranian conditions are fulfilled.
- The disagreement between Iran and the US centers on the sequencing of the steps rather than the components of the plan.
- Iran is prepared to respond if the US again chooses military action, with foreign minister Abbas Araqchi warning that Iran will take whatever action is necessary to defend itself.
