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Iran is turning the Strait of Hormuz into a test of how far the United States is willing to go for a deal. Tehran has rejected Washington's response to its seven conditions for reopening the strategic waterway, saying some of its demands remain unresolved. With global energy shipments at stake, the diplomatic impasse threatens to prolong one of the conflict's most consequential flashpoints.
Mohsen Rezaei, Iran's security chief and secretary of the Supreme Security Council, described the US response as "insufficient", according to Iranian state media on Sunday. He said Washington must clarify its position on issues that remain unclear to Tehran before any progress can be made.
"We presented seven conditions to the Americans and clearly stated that the Strait of Hormuz would not be opened to them, and no negotiations would take place, until these conditions are met," Rezaei said. He added that Iran was "no longer in the process of responding to the Americans".
"In their response, they have accepted some of our conditions, while others remain unclear," he said.
The disagreement threatens to prolong uncertainty over the strategic waterway, which carried about a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas supplies before the war began in late February with US and Israeli attacks on Iran.
The US responded through Qatari intermediaries, who have been relaying messages between the two sides as part of efforts to end the conflict and restore shipping. Iranian officials have said the proposal is intended to rebuild trust and return the two countries to an enhanced version of an interim memorandum of understanding reached in June. That agreement helped secure a brief ceasefire and included provisions concerning both the strait and Iran's nuclear programme.
An official briefed on the discussions told news agency Reuters last week that the main disagreement concerned the order in which the proposed steps should be implemented, rather than the components of the plan itself.
IRAN RULES OUT NUCLEAR TALKS AT THIS STAGE
Tehran has also pushed back against suggestions that it is ready to negotiate its nuclear programme as part of the current effort to reopen the waterway. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said the US proposals largely reflected Washington's previous positions, particularly on the nuclear issue. He maintained that Iran's immediate focus was the Strait of Hormuz and restoring security there.
Baghaei also denied that Tehran had offered to allow inspections by the United Nations' nuclear watchdog in exchange for sanctions relief, saying Iran had not entered nuclear discussions with Washington.
The nuclear issue remains a major obstacle in relations between the two countries. Washington has long sought limits on Iran's nuclear programme, while Tehran has resisted demands it considers unacceptable.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf had reiterated on October 4 that the strait would remain closed to the US until Tehran's seven conditions, which he said were based on the Islamabad memorandum of understanding, were fulfilled.
He also warned that Washington could no longer prolong diplomacy while imposing one-sided demands.
TRUMP SAYS CONFLICT COULD END 'REALLY QUICK'
US President Donald Trump, meanwhile, has suggested that the conflict could be brought to a immediate end, while warning that Iran might escalate tensions before the November 3 midterm elections. Speaking at a campaign rally in Clarksville, Tennessee, on Saturday, Trump said Iran appeared to be easing its stance but could take further action before the vote in the hope of hurting his political standing.
"They're (Iran) sort of calming down. They'll probably do a little bit extra before the election, thinking it's going to hurt us, but we could end it really quick. They don't know how nice I've been to them," he said.
Trump had previously said the US would not attack Iran before the midterm elections, pointing to what he described as productive discussions between Washington and Tehran.
In a post on X on Thursday, he said the US blockade would remain in place despite the diplomatic engagement.
"We are having productive discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran," Trump said, adding that the United States would not attack Iran before the November 3 elections. He also reiterated his position that "IRAN WILL NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON!"
IRAN WARNS IT IS READY TO RESPOND
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned that Tehran remains prepared for renewed military confrontation if Washington abandons diplomacy. Addressing foreign ambassadors and diplomats in Tehran on Sunday, Araqchi said Iran hoped the United States would choose negotiations but would defend itself if military action resumed.
"If they again move towards military solutions, we are more prepared than before and will take whatever action is necessary to defend ourselves," Araghchi said.
Iranian military spokesperson Mohammad Akraminia also told the Fars news agency on Sunday that the country would increase the range of its missiles. Meanwhile, the conflict is widening beyond Iran and the US. Trump said Washington was considering joining Saudi Arabia's strikes against Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi movement after attacks on Saudi airports.
"We may. We're going to look at it," Trump told reporters outside the White House on October 10. "We just found out about the recent attack. So we'll make a decision. We move very quickly." The Houthis claimed responsibility for a strike on Riyadh's international airport on Saturday that, according to the supplied reports, killed 13 people and wounded more than 300. Saudi authorities also reported injuries in another attack on the airport on Sunday.
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With inputs from agencies
