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‘Full compensation, correct behaviour by US’: Iran's new demands to open Strait of Hormuz amid West Asia conflict
Iran's demands include lifting of the naval blockade by the US on Iranian ports and withdrawal of the American military from the region.
Iran has presented a list of new demands to ensure reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a key trade waterway which has been a major point of contention in the ongoing war between Iran and the United States. Reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is essential for a peace deal between both sides.
Iran has said that it will not open the strait, which is effectively under its control currently, till the US “corrects” its behaviour.
The new demands, put forth by Iran's Supreme National Security Council, was published by the state media. The statement was issued by the council’s secretary, Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, who is also a commander in Iran's Revolutionary Guard.
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‘Complete compensation, no threats’
Among the demands presented in Zolghadr's statement are no threats ever by the United States and call to permanently end the war with Iran and its allies in the West Asia region, reported Associated Press.
The demands also included lifting of the naval blockade by the US on Iranian ports and withdrawal of the American military from the region.
Iran has also demanded “full compensation” for the damage caused in the country due to war, “unconditional” released of its frozen assets by the US, and lifting of all sanctions.
The US has not yet reacted to the new set of Iran's demands yet. It has been waiting for Iran to strike a deal to open the Strait of Hormuz before lifting its naval blockade which restricts ships from entering or exiting Iranian ports.
The Strait of Hormuz is a key trade route which controls around 20% of the world's oil trade. It runs between Oman and Iran, both of which are working on a deal to manage the strait.
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Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday that they were close to reach a deal with Oman on navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, however, the reopening of the waterway will depend on other conditions.
“The opening of the Strait is subject to other conditions, including the compensation for the US’s violations of the Islamabad Agreement,” Araghchi said.
Oman, on the other hand, said that talks with Iran were going on “in a positive and constructive atmosphere”.
UAE ship attacked
The United Arab Emirates said that a ship owned by Abu Dhabi's state-owned ADNOC oil and gas company was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz by Iran on Saturday morning.
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According to the firm, no casualties were reported during the attack, adding that over a dozen of its ships have been attacked in the strait even since the war between the US and Iran started earlier this year.
‘In the middle of the game’
The US Vice President JD Vance said on Saturday that while there has been progress in reaching a deal to open the Strait of Hormuz, it remains to be seen if the deal will sit well with the United States.
“I try to remind people that we’re really in the middle of the game here," Vance told Fox News.
The question is whether Iran will be able “to give the things that are necessary for us to be happy, for us to feel like we’ve gotten what we need out of this particular engagement,” he added.
“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.”
(With inputs from wires)
