Iran stated that if an agreement with Oman comes into force, military vessels will be banned from passing through the Strait of Hormuz. This is another escalation of Tehran’s demands and has met resistance from Washington, which previously threatened to strike Oman if it “obstructs”.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Wednesday that “the United States will achieve nothing” with a new round of economic sanctions. According to the ISNA agency, this statement was another response from Tehran to Washington’s threats of “economic strangulation”.
Countering economic pressure
“Through measures developed by the government’s economic agencies, America will achieve nothing with economic pressure at this stage, just as it has achieved nothing in war,” said Pezeshkian. He added: “Our principle is understanding and resolving issues through interaction and negotiations, but at the same time, we will firmly resist economic pressure, as we have done before and will continue to do so.”
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent outlined plans on Monday for the “economic strangulation” of Iran, warning of serious consequences for countries that do not join this campaign. Iranian leaders dismissed assessments of the impact of the new measures, as the country has suffered from devastating sanctions for decades, imposed shortly after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Negotiations between Iran and the US have reached a deadlock as the parties cannot agree on control over the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Movement through this vital waterway, through which about one‑fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas exports usually pass, remains largely paralyzed, disrupting global energy markets.
Iran has controlled movement through the Strait of Hormuz since the war began on February 28 and seeks to charge fees from vessels passing through it. Washington wants the strait to return to the pre‑war system of free navigation, and US President Donald Trump stated that Washington “has full control” over the waterway.
Agreement on the Strait of Hormuz
On Tuesday, Tehran stated that military vessels will not be allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz if an agreement it is currently discussing with Oman comes into force. This was reported to state television late Tuesday evening by Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi.
According to Gharibabadi, the top diplomats of the two countries met to discuss the management of commercial shipping in the vital strait and reached a mutual understanding on Tuesday. “If the agreement comes into force, no military vessel will be allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. No military vessel,” he said.
Gharibabadi did not provide additional details about military shipping but described the proposed commercial route through the strait. The route of ships to the Persian Gulf from the Gulf of Oman will pass exclusively through Iranian waters, while the return route will partially pass through Iranian waters and partially through Oman’s territorial waters.
The Trump administration informed Muscat that it opposes some provisions of the agreement being developed, including the joint management by Iran and Oman of the exit route through the strait, which is critical to world trade. Earlier, Trump threatened to strike Oman if it “interferes”.
Source: Euronews
