Iran's Top Negotiator Says Strait Of Hormuz Will Stay Shut Until US Meets Demands

Iran's top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said on Tuesday that the strategic Strait of Hormuz will remain closed to normal shipping until the United States fulfils the commitments it made under an interim memorandum of understanding, including lifting its naval blockade and easing economic sanctions on Tehran. His comments, delivered in a speech broadcast on Iranian state television, came just hours after a 60-day deadline for the two countries to reach a permanent peace agreement expired without a resolution.

What Ghalibaf Said

"I want to state clearly that the Strait of Hormuz will not be opened until the American commitments stipulated in the memorandum of understanding are implemented," Ghalibaf told viewers. He specifically listed three conditions Washington would need to meet: removing the naval blockade currently restricting traffic through the strait, lifting sanctions on Iranian oil exports, and unfreezing Iranian financial assets held abroad. Ghalibaf did not offer a timeline for when Iran might consider these steps sufficient, leaving the standoff over one of the world's most critical energy corridors unresolved for the foreseeable future.

Context Behind The Deadline

The memorandum of understanding that Ghalibaf referenced was signed in June, with both sides committing to work toward a final peace deal within a maximum of 60 days. That window closed on Monday without an agreement, leaving Washington and Tehran deadlocked specifically over control of the Strait of Hormuz and the fate of billions of dollars in frozen Iranian funds. The 60-day period was also marked by repeated violations on both sides: Iran objected to how vessels were being permitted to transit the strait and began targeting some ships, prompting the United States to respond with strikes against Iranian targets.

Following the deadline's expiry, US President Donald Trump publicly called on Iran to raise the "white flag of surrender," while indicating that Washington was not seeking to extend the memorandum on its current terms. Trump has separately suggested he does not consider the 60-day period a hard deadline that would automatically trigger renewed military action, even as tensions over the strait remain elevated.

Why The Strait Matters

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most important chokepoints for seaborne energy trade, with a significant share of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas shipments passing through its narrow waters daily. Any prolonged disruption to normal transit through the strait has ripple effects across global energy markets, pushing up crude prices and adding uncertainty for oil-importing economies. Brent and US crude benchmarks have both climbed in recent sessions as the standoff has dragged on, with markets watching closely for any sign of further escalation or, alternatively, a breakthrough in negotiations.

What Comes Next

With Ghalibaf's statement effectively ruling out any near-term reopening of the strait on Iran's part, attention now shifts to whether Washington is willing to meet Tehran's stated conditions, or whether the standoff will continue to simmer without a clear resolution. Diplomatic channels between the two countries remain officially open, even as both sides continue to trade pointed public statements. Regional states and international shipping operators are likely to keep monitoring the situation closely, given the strait's outsized importance to global trade and energy security.

This article is an original editorial summary based on publicly reported information. It has been independently written for publication and does not reproduce content from any single source.