Iran's Guard: Strait of Hormuz Reopening Tied to US Terms, Not Oman Talks

Iran's Revolutionary Guard has pushed back against suggestions that diplomatic efforts with Oman could lead to a swift reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, insisting that any such move hinges entirely on Washington accepting Tehran's terms.

Speaking on Saturday, Guard spokesperson Hossein Mohebbi said the reopening of the strategic waterway is "subject to the specific mechanisms and conditions of the Islamic Republic of Iran" and is not linked to negotiations between Iran and Oman. His remarks, carried by Iran's Tasnim news agency, come a day after a US official reported progress in the Iran-Oman talks that could soon restore oil exports through the strait.

The strait has been a flashpoint in the five-month-old US war with Iran, with disruptions to shipping cutting off a vital artery for global oil supplies. While the US has pointed to the Omani channel as a possible path to de-escalation, Tehran's military appears keen to underline that any resolution must follow its own framework.

The divergence in messaging highlights the fragility of the current diplomatic window, even as both sides signal a willingness to ease tensions. For now, the Guard's statement suggests that the key to reopening the strait lies not in Muscat's mediation, but in a direct US response to Iran's stated conditions.