Strait of Hormuz to stay shut until US ends naval blockade: Iranian FM spokesperson

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei stated on Monday that the Strait of Hormuz will not be reopened until the United States halts its naval blockade against Iran, according to local media reports.

Speaking at a weekly press briefing in Tehran, Baghaei attributed the closure of the strategic choke point to military aggression against Iran by the US and Israel. He underlined that reopening the critical corridor depends directly on the conditions imposed on Iran and the waterway by American and Israeli authorities, Iran's semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported.

Also read: Iran ties Hormuz reopening to US concessions on several demands


"As long as the US naval blockade continues, the necessary conditions for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz do not exist," Baghaei said, urging Washington to halt and reverse its actions so both sides could discuss further steps.

The Strait of Hormuz links the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea and is a key route for global crude oil and LNG shipments from Gulf exporters.

What is the status of talks with Oman?

Baghaei said discussions with Oman on maritime transit through the strait remain a strictly bilateral matter, separate from Iran's standoff with Washington.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that technical talks with Oman on finalising a revised maritime passage through the strait are in their concluding stage. However, he cautioned that any maritime agreement with Muscat would not amount to reopening the waterway to traffic.

Also read: Iran Guards say won't reopen Hormuz without US meeting all Tehran's conditions

"This agreement may be reached, but the opening of the Strait of Hormuz is subject to a series of conditions," Araghchi said, as per Tasnim.

Are the US and Iran in talks?

Araghchi, addressing media at the Foreign Ministry's Centre for Political and International Studies, said there are currently no active negotiations with the United States. "Intermediaries are still making efforts to find ways to resume negotiations," he said, adding that talks cannot resume until Washington ends its violations of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and makes amends for the breaches committed.

Meanwhile, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on August 2 that its naval forces had redirected 35 commercial vessels, disabled two and boarded two others in Middle Eastern waters as part of Washington's resumed maritime blockade of Iran.