While the Iranian regime seeks to portray its control over the Strait of Hormuz as a sign of power and leverage against the United States, Kazem Gharibabadi, the regime’s deputy foreign minister, said the waterway remains closed and conditioned its reopening on the United States fulfilling its commitments.
On Saturday, August 29, Gharibabadi said the Iranian regime had reached an understanding with Oman on how vessels would pass through the Strait of Hormuz, but “the strait will not be reopened until the United States fulfills its commitments.”
According to the regime official, these commitments relate to the Islamabad memorandum of understanding between the two sides, which includes an end to military attacks against Iran and the lifting of the naval blockade.
Iran’s Oil Exports: The Strait of Hormuz No Longer Tehran’s Leverage
Gharibabadi also claimed that the Strait of Hormuz is “completely closed” and that any vessel passing through it is allowed to do so only with the Iranian regime’s coordination and authorization. Gharibabadi added that the regime’s armed forces have “full oversight” of developments in the waterway and rejected U.S. claims regarding vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
Regime officials had previously spoken of establishing a temporary corridor in coordination with Oman, a route that Gharibabadi likened to a “two-way highway,” through which vessels would enter via Iran and exit via Oman.
These remarks come as U.S. President Donald Trump and CENTCOM have officially stated that the Strait of Hormuz is open and that the Iranian regime has no control over it.
