Iran Signals Hormuz Reopening Hinges on US Concessions
Iran says a deal with Oman on Hormuz shipping lanes is close, but reopening hinges on US concessions including compensation and sanctions relief.
Iran has indicated that an agreement with Oman over new shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz is in its final stages, but Tehran continues to tie the waterway's reopening to a set of conditions it wants Washington to meet.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Sunday that the pact with Oman was nearing completion, while reiterating that the strait would not be reopened unless the United States addresses Tehran's demands. These include compensation for damages from US and Israeli strikes, an end to sanctions, and a halt to military threats.
Araqchi also noted that direct talks between Iran and the US are not taking place, and will not begin as long as Washington violates the interim agreement signed in June. Messages are currently being exchanged through intermediaries.
A US official said on Friday that Washington and Tehran were close to a deal that could restore safe passage through the strait, a vital route for global oil and gas shipments. The official added that the US would lift its naval blockade of Iranian ports once an agreement to restore commercial shipping is announced, with US actions tied to Iran's implementation of its commitments.
Iran's top national security official, Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr, has also listed additional conditions, including ending threats against Iran and its allies, removing the naval blockade in the Gulf, and releasing frozen Iranian assets.
The developments come amid continued tensions in the region. The UAE reported on Saturday that Iran attacked a ship affiliated with its state oil company, though Tehran has not commented. Meanwhile, Yemen's Houthi rebels, who are aligned with Iran, said they attacked Saudi Aramco's Jazan refinery on Sunday. Saudi authorities confirmed a fire at the facility was extinguished without injuries.
The Houthis have also declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea, a move Riyadh denies is justified. The attacks follow a new defence pact between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, which Turkish officials say is not directed against any specific country but is a general pledge to support regional security.