Iran has rejected US claims that energy transit through the Strait of Hormuz has returned to normal and pre-war levels, saying the strategic waterway remains insecure because of US military and economic measures. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baqai said on 12 October that Washington’s statements did not reflect conditions on the ground.
Baqai said Iran viewed the security of the Strait as vital but argued that normal conditions could not return while the US continued what Tehran describes as a naval blockade and economic warfare. He said Iran would continue pursuing its own course despite US claims that the Strait had lost its importance as leverage for Tehran.
Iran is still reviewing a US response to its proposal for reopening the Strait, submitted in September through mediators. Tehran’s conditions include recognition of Iran’s rights, the lifting of the US naval blockade, the release of frozen Iranian assets and an end to the war. Baqai said the US response was inadequate but that Iran would communicate its position through intermediaries after completing its review.
Pakistan and Qatar remain the main mediators between Iran and the US, according to Baqai. He also welcomed mediation efforts by Russia and other friendly countries. His comments followed remarks by Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezai that Washington had agreed to some of Iran’s seven conditions but that its response remained insufficient.
Baqai also called for dialogue to resolve the crisis in Yemen, saying Iran was ready to facilitate negotiations between the Iran-backed Houthi movement and Saudi-backed government forces. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi separately offered Saudi Arabia mediation in talks with the Houthis. The statements came after the deadly 10 October attack on Riyadh’s King Khaled International Airport.
The Iranian spokesman also criticized recent tensions between the US and Ukraine, saying Donald Trump’s clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky demonstrated what he described as the nature of US relations with its allies. He said the US-Russia diesel deal was ultimately a matter between Washington and Moscow but called the agreement significant.
The latest statements indicate that Tehran does not consider conditions suitable for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and is maintaining its demands in negotiations with Washington. The outcome will depend on the ongoing exchange of messages through mediators and Iran’s assessment of the US response.
