Iran stated, this Tuesday (18), that it will keep the Strait of Hormuz closed until the United States fulfills the commitments set out in a protocol agreement signed in June. The statement was made by the main Iranian negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who also presides over the country’s Parliament.
“The Strait of Hormuz will not be reopened until the US commitments stipulated in the protocol of agreement are implemented,” Ghalibaf said in a speech broadcast on state television.
Among the conditions presented by Tehran are the suspension of the naval blockade imposed by the United States, the unfreezing of Iranian assets, the end of the oil embargo and the interruption of military operations “on all fronts”.
The strait, which separates Iran from the Arabian Peninsula and connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, has become one of the main points of tension since the start of the joint US and Israeli offensive against the Persian country. Before the conflict, around 20% of the oil and gas consumed in the world passed through the region.
Threat to Oman and ‘map’ of Hormuz under US control
While Iran maintains its demand to reopen the passage, United States President Donald Trump has once again threatened to transform the Strait of Hormuz into US territory. This Tuesday, he published an image of the region on his Truth Social platform with the caption “New US Territory”.
Last week, Trump had already stated that he could declare the strait as United States territory if Iran did not surrender.
The president also threatened to attack Oman, a country allied with Washington that participates in negotiations with Tehran over navigation in the region.
“If Oman gets in the way, we will bomb them and destroy them,” Trump told journalist Trey Yingst of Fox News.
In the same interview, the American president said that Iran should “raise the white flag and surrender”.
Oman and Iran have been negotiating a possible agreement on the movement of vessels through the strait for months. The talks gained relevance after the collapse of a provisional agreement between the United States and Iran, mediated by Pakistan, which envisaged maintaining Hormuz as an open international maritime route without charging tolls.
Negotiations between Iran and Oman continue
On Monday (17), the Iranian government confirmed that negotiations with Oman continue. According to a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two countries are discussing the text of a joint declaration.
“Negotiations between Iran and Oman continue in a serious manner,” the spokesperson said. “We are exchanging views on the text of the joint statement.”
Trump claims that the strait is under United States control, despite the sharp reduction in maritime traffic caused by the conflict. On Friday (14), he even said that he would declare the region part of US territory. The Iranian government responded that Hormuz “will remain Iranian.”
Source: www.brasildefato.com.br
