Strait of Hormuz will not reopen until US continues naval blockade: Iranian Foreign Ministry
Tehran, August 10
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.
Reaffirming Tehran's stance, Baghaei remarked, "As long as the US naval blockade continues, the necessary conditions for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz do not exist." He urged Washington to halt and reverse its "destructive actions" to enable both parties to negotiate subsequent steps.
Connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, the Strait of Hormuz serves as a vital energy artery, facilitating the movement of crude oil and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) from Gulf exporters to global markets.
Addressing ongoing discussions with Oman regarding maritime transit, Baghaei clarified that the dialogue remains a strictly bilateral matter between the two neighbouring nations.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi confirmed on Sunday that no active negotiations are taking place with Washington.
Addressing media personnel at the Foreign Ministry's Centre for Political and International Studies, Araghchi observed, "We currently have no negotiations with the United States. Intermediaries are still making efforts to find ways to resume negotiations. From our perspective, there can be no resumption of talks until the United States ends its violations of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and makes amends for the breaches it has committed," Tasnim News Agency reported.
He reiterated that dialogue cannot resume unless Washington halts its breaches of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and remedies the infractions. He further revealed that technical talks with Oman over finalising a revised maritime passage through the Strait of Hormuz are in their concluding stage.
However, the Foreign Minister cautioned that concluding a maritime agreement with Muscat does not equate to opening the waterway to traffic.
Clarifying the situation, Araghchi noted, "Of course, this does not mean the opening of the Strait of Hormuz. This agreement may be reached, but the opening of the Strait of Hormuz is subject to a series of conditions."
— ANI
Reader Comments
Honestly, both sides are being stubborn. The US has been imposing sanctions on Iran for decades and Iran responds by threatening this vital waterway. Meanwhile, countries like India are just bystanders who will end up bearing the brunt of higher fuel prices and inflation. The international community, especially China and India, should mediate and push for de-escalation before things spiral out of control. 🤷♀️
Iran is being unreasonable here. The US naval blockade is not the cause of their problems - it's a response to Iran's own aggressive actions in the region, including supporting terrorist proxies. India has always supported a rules-based international order and freedom of navigation. Blocking the Strait of Hormuz is a violation of international maritime law and hurts innocent countries like India. Iran should think about the global consequences of their actions.
As an American citizen living and working in India, I can see both perspectives. The US has legitimate security concerns in the Gulf, but Iran also feels economically strangled by sanctions. However, closing the Strait of Hormuz is not a proportionate response. It's collective punishment for the entire world economy. India and other Asian countries should call for a balanced solution that respects Iran's rights while ensuring maritime security.
India has always maintained good relations with both Iran and the US. I think our diplomatic channels should be used more proactively here. We have strategic ties with Tehran (Chabahar port project) and also growing partnership with Washington. PM Modi should offer to mediate like he does on other global issues. Increasing fuel prices will directly impact common Indians who are already struggling with inflation. 🙏
R We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.