Iran has clarified that its evolving maritime agreement with Oman, intended to manage the Strait of Hormuz, does not automatically guarantee the reopening of the crucial waterway for unrestricted international shipping. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi stated that for free navigation to resume, the United States must first satisfy a series of political and economic conditions. These demands include lifting the naval blockade on Iranian ports, addressing sanctions reimposed after a previous truce collapsed—especially those targeting Iran's oil sector—and resuming negotiations over frozen Iranian assets.
Furthermore, Iran insists that the US must compensate it for war damages and unconditionally release its frozen assets. Tehran also demands that the US permanently end the war and withdraw its military from the area, as well as address what Iran perceives as the US's failure to ensure stability in Lebanon, as outlined in a June memorandum of understanding with Washington. The Supreme National Security Council, Iran’s politburo-like body, issued a statement reiterating these demands, emphasizing that the strait will not open until the U.S. "corrects its behavior."
The proposed framework with Oman would formalize Tehran’s control over a waterway that previously carried a fifth of the world's traded oil and gas. Iran has also indicated plans to levy "fees" for maritime services provided jointly with Oman once the strait reopens, a proposal that has drawn strong opposition from the United States and several Gulf states, who argue that international waterways should remain free from unilateral state control. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that any attempt by a state to control international waters would violate international law. Leading global shipping organizations have also urged the United Nations and the International Maritime Organization to oppose any such transit charges, warning of dangerous precedents, increased transport costs, and higher energy prices and inflation globally.
