Iran delivered a sweeping list of hardline demands to the United States on Saturday, conditioning the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz on major American concessions and throwing the fate of the vital maritime transit route into deeper uncertainty.
The maximalist position from Iranian officials effectively upended expectations that a pending bilateral agreement between Iran and Oman would swiftly restore shipping traffic and ease spiking global energy prices.
The new demands come after President Donald Trump expressed optimism that a deal on reopening the Hormuz was days away.
Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, issued a statement via state media outlining strict preconditions for unblocking the waterway. He called on Washington to lift its naval blockade, remove economic sanctions, withdraw U.S. military forces from the region, pay war reparations, release frozen Iranian assets, and cease attacks against Iran’s regional allies.
The demands present a significant dilemma for the White House as high energy costs continue to impact American consumers ahead of November’s midterm elections. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Tehran’s Contradictory Signals
The development comes amid conflicting signals from Tehran regarding ongoing diplomatic efforts mediated by Muscat.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian indicated in a statement that it was an appropriate time to resolve the crisis with the United States.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated on Saturday that Tehran and Muscat were “very close” to an agreement on technical details for a temporary transit corridor through the strait, which sits between the two nations.
However, Araghchi emphasized that any physical reopening remains contingent on Washington compensating for alleged violations of the June “Islamabad Memorandum”—the fragile cease-fire agreement signed by the U.S. and Iran following hostilities that began in February.
“The Americans were seeking to establish new routes through the Strait of Hormuz, and despite the warnings issued by our country, they sought to undermine Iran’s management of the strait,” Araghchi said. “Therefore, any violation of the memorandum of understanding or of Iran’s management of the Strait of Hormuz is absolutely unacceptable.”
Domestic Pressure and Military Stance
Analysts suggest the sudden escalation in rhetoric reflects intense political pressure within Tehran. Both Araghchi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian have faced sharp criticism from hardliners opposing any rapprochement or compromises with Washington.
Hossein Mohebbi, a spokesman for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), reinforced the uncompromising stance, stating that reopening the strait was “not contingent on the Iran-Oman negotiations,” but rather on “the United States fully accepting Iran’s conditions.”
Raz Zimmt, an Iran expert at the Institute for National Security Studies in Israel, noted that Tehran views technical talks with Oman as separate from political leverage over Washington.
“Even if Iran and Oman agree to specifics on the strait, it is clear that Tehran will not agree to implement them without a return to U.S. commitments under the memorandum, including lifting the naval blockade and resuming the process of sanctions relief,” Zimmt said.
Regional Escalation and Maritime Risks
Tensions on the water remain high. On Saturday, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that an Iranian attack targeted an oil tanker belonging to the state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company as it transited the strait. The company confirmed that at least 15 of its vessels have been attacked in the waterway since conflict broke out, resulting in one fatality and 20 crew injuries.
In response, Oman’s foreign ministry issued a statement condemning “repeated attacks on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz,” calling them violations of international law and territorial sovereignty, while urging all parties to protect ongoing diplomatic progress.
Appearing on Fox News on Saturday, U.S. Vice President JD Vance described the discussions regarding maritime safety as being in “the middle of the game,” despite previous optimism from U.S. officials that a resolution was near.
“What we’re really working through now is how you can actually set up a traffic scheme so that the ships that pass can pass through safely,” Vance said, noting that any durable arrangement must include mine clearing and a explicit commitment from Tehran to cease firing on commercial vessels.
Muhammad Luqman is Associate Editor at Views News Now. He writes on wide-ranging issues including economy, South Asia, the Middle East, agriculture, economy and innovation. Luqman has worked some of the leading news organizations and won acclaim for his original and research-based works.
