TEHRAN / WASHINGTON — Diplomatic efforts to de-escalate maritime tensions in the Persian Gulf intensify as Iranian officials drafted conditions for a full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, Washington maintains a stern military posture and rejects mediator-driven arrangements.

Iran Outlines Terms Amid Regional Mediation

• Tehran’s Position: Major General Mohsen Rezaei, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, stated that Tehran is formulating specific requirements before allowing full commercial traffic through the crucial energy waterway. Iran’s preconditions include an immediate end to US and Israeli military operations across West Asia—specifically targeting Gaza and Lebanon—as well as the lifting of the US maritime blockade.
• Joint Corridor: Rezaei noted that Iran and Oman have agreed to manage a temporary, limited transit corridor located in the middle of the strait, but warned that further opening depends on Washington’s compliance.
• Qatari Diplomacy: Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani met top Iranian leadership in Tehran to foster dialogue and prevent a wider conflict collapse.

United States Rejects Demands, Cites Naval Operations

• Washington's Stance: US officials dismissed third-party agreements involving Iran and Oman, asserting that such deals do not constrain American policy.
• Mine-Clearing Operations: Admiral Brad Cooper, chief of US Central Command, confirmed that naval operations have successfully cleared key international shipping lanes in the strait of Iranian mines laid by the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
• Continued Military Presence: US President Donald Trump signaled that cleared maritime lanes do not signal an end to US military pressure. The US Navy is deploying a replacement aircraft carrier strike group to the region as the naval blockade on Iranian ports remains enforced.

Ceasefire Risks

Nickolay Mladenov, High Representative for the US Board of Peace, cautioned that failure to uphold regional ceasefires and peace roadmaps could lead to the breakdown of fragile agreements in Gaza and reignite wider regional hostilities.