Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei said Monday that closing the Strait of Hormuz is 'natural' to prevent its use for attacks on Iran, and that Tehran will not allow passage as long as the war continues. He also stated that talks with Oman are about establishing a shipping lane, not negotiations with the United States, and that the Turkey-Saudi-Pakistan defense pact is not directed against Iran.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei said Monday that closing the Strait of Hormuz is "natural" to prevent its use for attacks on Iran, and that Tehran will not allow passage as long as the war continues. He also stated that talks with Oman are about establishing a shipping lane, not negotiations with the United States, and that the issue of transit fees was not raised. The remarks expand on his earlier statement today that the Turkey-Pakistan-Saudi defense pact is not directed against Iran.
The statements come a day after a flurry of developments reported by The Zioneer on Sunday, Aug 9. Iran's National Security Council issued a list of conditions for reopening the strait, including cessation of hostilities, US withdrawal from the region, lifting of sanctions, and war compensation. An IRGC source added a demand for war reparations. Oil futures rose 1.2% following the submission of demands. Tehran also officially denied conducting negotiations with the United States, and Baqaei confirmed that Iran is focused on shipping route talks with Oman.
The Zioneer has previously reported on Iran's insistence on managing the strait and its rejection of the southern route. On Aug 5, the US and Gulf states formally rejected Iran's demand for transit fees, according to the Wall Street Journal. That same day, the IRGC postponed a proposed agreement with Oman, citing US interference. Baqaei's latest remarks reinforce Tehran's position that the maritime issue is separate from broader diplomatic engagement with Washington.
The specific terms of the Oman shipping lane agreement remain unclear, and Iran's sweeping conditions for reopening the strait have not been accepted by the US or its allies. No timeline for further talks has been announced.
7 developments
- StrongFars: Iran says Hormuz talks only with Oman, no direct US negotiations
- DevelopingIran: No talks with US until Washington retreats, citing Hormuz dispute as core issue
- StrongIran says final agreement talks to start in coming days, Hormuz closure denied
- StrongOmani mediators optimistic for Strait of Hormuz breakthrough in coming days, Bloomberg reports
Source and signal
- Open-source intake