Iran Rules Out Reopening Strait of Hormuz, Returning to Talks Until US Meets Tehran’s Conditions

Tehran: Iran has ruled out reopening the Strait of Hormuz or returning to the previous framework of negotiations with the United States until Washington meets Tehran’s conditions, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said, as tensions between the two countries continue to escalate.

According to Al Jazeera, Ghalibaf said Iran had conveyed its demands to the United States through intermediaries and would not reconsider its position until Tehran's conditions were fulfilled. “Our messages and conditions have been conveyed explicitly to the other side through intermediaries... And until these conditions are met, the inalienable rights of the Iranian nation are recognised, and the Americans fulfil their commitments, there will be no possibility of a return to the previous negotiation framework or to reopen the Strait of Hormuz,” Ghalibaf said.

The Strait of Hormuz has emerged as a major flashpoint in the escalating US-Iran confrontation. The strategic waterway is a crucial route for global energy shipments, and restrictions on maritime traffic have raised concerns over further disruption to international trade and oil supplies.

Ghalibaf's remarks came after Iran's central military command warned that any renewed US military action against Tehran would trigger attacks against American bases and interests across the region. The Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said in a statement carried by Iran's state-run IRNA that any US military action would be met with “continuous, effective and painful” attacks.

“Should the United States make any mistake against the Islamic Republic of Iran, all its bases and interests in the region will be targeted in continuous, effective and painful attacks without any limitation or consideration,” the statement said. The Iranian military command also warned regional countries against supporting any US military operation against Tehran, saying countries that assist Washington would be regarded as participants in the action.

Meanwhile, US Central Command said its forces had redirected 109 commercial vessels as part of efforts to enforce Washington's naval blockade on Iran. “A U.S. Sailor stands watch aboard USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53). As of Sept. 20, CENTCOM forces have redirected 109 commercial vessels to ensure total compliance,” CENTCOM said in a post on X.

The US military resumed enforcement of the blockade against maritime traffic entering and leaving Iranian ports on July 14. US President Donald Trump, meanwhile, warned Tehran of significant consequences if Iran refused to alter its behaviour, while also indicating that he could be open to talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian during the UN General Assembly in New York.

Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei had earlier said Tehran had conveyed its conditions for ending the conflict through Qatari mediation, including an end to hostilities on all fronts, the release of frozen Iranian funds and an end to the naval blockade. The latest developments come as world leaders gather in New York for the UN General Assembly, where the escalating US-Iran confrontation and wider West Asia tensions are expected to remain key issues of international concern. 

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