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

Spread the love

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr. [Photo/AA]

Iran’s top security official said Saturday that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the US changes what he described as its hostile policies and meets a set of Iranian demands, Anadolu reports.

In a statement, Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said Washington must “correct its behavior” before the strategic waterway can reopen.

He listed six conditions, including ending what he called threats against Iran’s supreme leader, permanently halting military action against Iran and its regional allies, withdrawing US naval and air forces involved in what he described as the blockade of Iran, compensating Tehran for damage caused during the recent conflicts, lifting US sanctions and releasing Iran’s frozen assets.

Zolghadr said the demands reflected the will of the Iranian people, citing nationwide rallies over the past six days.

READ: Oman says Strait of Hormuz talks progressing in ‘positive’ atmosphere

“The Supreme National Security Council will not retreat from these demands, whether in war or in negotiations,” he said.

Separately, Iranian army spokesman Brig. Gen. Mohammad Akraminia said the “Iranian order” governing the Strait of Hormuz was “irreversible,” adding that the US had “no choice but to accept the existing reality” or face “far greater costs than before.”

The remarks come as negotiations over the future of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz remain at an impasse.

Iran and the US signed a memorandum of understanding on June 18 through Pakistani and Qatari mediation, ending active hostilities and launching negotiations toward a broader agreement. The memorandum envisaged a gradual restoration of commercial navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, but implementation later stalled as both sides exchanged accusations of violating its terms.

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

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham admits to blatently lying and engaging in deception to become leader of the UK Labour Party and Prime Minister.
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham admits to blatently lying and engaging in deception to become leader of the UK Labour Party and Prime Minister.
Donald Trump sings and dances, says that it's fun to kill everyone ... unless he gets distracted or falls asleep.
Donald Trump sings and dances, says that it’s fun to kill everyone … unless he gets distracted or falls asleep.
Orcas discuss rotting brain, front Orca says Sundown Syndrome is a dead givaway and he wishes someone would Lock Him Up
Orcas discuss rotting brain, front Orca says Sundown Syndrome is a dead givaway and he wishes someone would Lock Him Up

Leave a Reply