Tehran says Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until Washington accepts all its demands

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Sunday that it would not reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz unless the United States accepts Tehran’s conditions, including paying compensation for war damage.

Iran has effectively controlled the Strait of Hormuz since the war began with the first US and Israeli strikes on Iran on 28 February. It currently requires ships to coordinate their passage with Iranian authorities and use a route exclusively along its coast. Tehran also plans to impose a “service fee” on ships seeking to use the waterway.

Repeated attacks in the waterway led to the collapse of a ceasefire agreement reached in April, while mediators have urged both sides to resume compliance with a subsequent memorandum of understanding signed in June, which set out a framework for peace talks.

READ: US expects Iran to ensure safe oil flow through Strait of Hormuz: Vance

US President Donald Trump played down Iran’s demands in an interview with Axios on Sunday.

“We are low-keying it,” Trump said. “We are only semi-negotiating with them. We are just watching Iran with its huge inflation and the fact they have no money.”     

The United States has imposed a blockade on Iranian ports since July, worsening Iran’s economic crisis, according to Trump.

“It will work out. It always works out. It’s like a chess game,” the US president commented on the ongoing dispute with Iran.

READ: Iran security chief says Strait of Hormuz to remain closed until US meets Tehran’s demands