Iran has set new and tougher conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz amid talks on a deal to manage the waterway. Tehran now insists that the United States should “correct its behaviour” and provide compensation for ‘violating’ an earlier agreement. The assertions came even as Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi said that the deal with Oman on a legal mechanism for managing traffic through the Strait of Hormuz was “very close”.
The latest developments occurred as tensions continued across the Middle East. The United Arab Emirates said one of its ships was hit by an Iranian missile while passing through the key waterway. Yemen’s military also carried out attacks against Iran-backed Houthi rebels, while Turkey’s parliament moved ahead with a bill linked to its peace efforts with Kurdish militants. Separately, the Houthis also claimed an attack against Aramco facilities in Saudi Arabia.
Iran says Hormuz will stay closed until US changes its behaviour
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said the Strait of Hormuz would not reopen until the United States “corrects its behaviour”.
The council is one of Iran’s most powerful bodies. Its secretary, Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, who is also a senior commander in Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, stated on the country’s state broadcaster.
Iran said the US must never threaten the country again and must permanently end its war with Iran and its armed allies in the region.
Tehran also wants Washington to lift its naval blockade of Iranian ports and pull its military forces out of the area.
Iran is further demanding that the US “completely compensate” it for damage caused by the war. It also wants sanctions lifted and Iranian assets frozen abroad to be released “unconditionally”.
US is yet to respond to these demands.
Washington has been pushing for an agreement on the Strait of Hormuz before ending its blockade.
Under the interim deal signed in June, the final agreement was expected to include a timetable for lifting sanctions and a plan for compensation. Talks were also supposed to cover Iranian assets that have been frozen.
Iran has separately said it is close to reaching an agreement with Oman on how the strait could be managed. The waterway lies between Iran and Oman.
Iran says navigation deal is close
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said earlier on Saturday that Tehran was close to an agreement on navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. However, he said reopening the waterway would depend on other conditions being met as well.
Araghchi blamed the delay on US violation of the interim agreement.
Oman, which is helping mediate the talks, said discussions were continuing “in a positive and constructive atmosphere”. It also condemned attacks on ships passing through the strait.
Iran-Oman deal could reopen shipping route
According to the Associated Press, Iran and Oman are working on a temporary agreement that could allow ships to start using the Strait of Hormuz again.
Under the possible arrangement, ships would enter the strait through a route closer to Iran and leave through a route closer to Oman.
During this temporary period, ships would not have to pay fees or tolls to pass through the waterway.
The agreement is also meant to bring back an earlier, separate agreement between the US and Iran. That would restart a 60-day period for Washington and Tehran to negotiate over Iran’s nuclear programme.
During that period, Iran is expected to be allowed to sell oil. The current 60-day deadline for reaching a final agreement is due to end in just over a week.
According to the two people familiar with the talks, the proposed deal has the support of countries belonging to the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Once completed, the agreement is expected to be announced jointly by Iran, Oman, the US and the United Nations’ International Maritime Organisation.
However, the AP report added that the terms could still change before the deal is finalised.
UAE says Iranian missile hit its ship
The tensions increased further after the UAE said a vessel owned by Abu Dhabi’s state-owned oil and gas company ADNOC was attacked while sailing through the Strait of Hormuz. The UAE Foreign Ministry said Iran fired the missile as part of attacks on commercial ships.
ADNOC said there were no casualties in the attack, which happened early Saturday.
The company said more than a dozen of its vessels have been attacked by missiles and drones while passing through the strait since the US and Israel began their war against Iran in February.
ADNOC said one crew member has been killed and 20 others have been wounded in those attacks.
The company did not give details about where Saturday’s attack happened or whether the ship suffered any damage.
Later, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre said a vessel east of Khasab, Oman, had been hit by a projectile. It was not immediately clear whether this was the same incident involving the ADNOC vessel.
Turkey says Saudi-Pakistan defence deal is not aimed at anyone
Turkey also addressed a new defence agreement signed by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey on Friday.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the agreement was not directed against any third country.
The deal says an attack on one of the three countries would be treated as an attack on all three.
Speaking to Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency on Saturday, Fidan said the three countries do not consider any country an enemy unless it takes hostile action against them.
“We don’t have anything written down, nothing we’ve signed that defines a common threat,” he said.
Fidan explained that if one member asks for help, the other two could provide different kinds of support. This could include sharing intelligence, providing logistical help or sending military forces.
The agreement will also create a secretariat, which will be based in Saudi Arabia.