Iran Issues Sweeping Demands Before It Opens Strait Of Hormuz: US Must 'Correct Its Behavior'

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), led by Secretary Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, on Saturday, issued a sweeping list of demands declaring that the Strait of Hormuz will not reopen until the United States "corrects its behavior."

These demands, published by Iranian state media, include permanently ending threats and hostilities against Iran and its regional allies, withdrawing all U.S. military forces from the region, lifting the naval blockade and sanctions, paying full war reparations, and unconditionally releasing frozen Iranian assets.

Iran effectively closed the Strait in retaliation for attacks by the U.S. and Israel, halting critical maritime trade and causing global energy prices to spike, with U.S. gas prices averaging $4.02. A temporary ceasefire memorandum signed in June collapsed over U.S. military interference. Tehran claims that after shipping restored to roughly 60% of pre-war capacity, the U.S. sought to establish unauthorized alternative routes and challenge Iranian management of the channel.

Iranian military continue to 'violating' vessels—including a Saturday Iranian missile strike on an Emirati-flagged tanker—underscoring the volatile environment surrounding the Strait of Hormuz through which roughly 20% of the world’s petroleum and natural gas normally flows.

SNSC's stated conditions include,

1. A permanent cessation of U.S. threats and military actions directed at Iran probably directed at President Donald Trump who regularly threatens the Iranian government in apocalyptic terms.

2. An immediate end to strikes and offensive military operations targeting Iran's allies across Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, and Iraq.

3. Complete termination of the U.S. naval blockade restricting Iranian ports.

4. Full pullout of U.S. naval and air forces deployed in the immediate vicinity of Iran.

5. Financial compensation paid by Washington for damages inflicted during the war.

6. Complete lifting of economic sanctions and the immediate release of frozen Iranian assets abroad.

"Until America corrects its behavior, the Strait of Hormuz will not open," Zolghadr declared, emphasizing that Tehran views control over the waterway not merely as an economic mechanism, but as a core pillar of its geographic and strategic power.

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Saturday, that negotiations with Oman are in the "final stages" and close to an agreement on managing shipping traffic, specifically regarding the determination of new transit routes.

Araghchi noted that the historical Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) in the strait is no longer acceptable to Tehran. Iranian and Omani naval delegations have drafted maps for a temporary route along Oman's coast to serve as a bridge toward a permanent framework.

However, Araghchi cautioned that this bilateral deal alone is insufficient; the full reopening of the waterway remains contingent on the U.S. meeting Tehran’s conditions, which he attributed to Washington's alleged violation of the interim ceasefire memorandum signed in June.

Oman described talks as "positive and constructive" but warned that ongoing attacks on commercial vessels, such as the recent missile strike on UAE-owned ship, could derail progress.

The Trump administration has insisted on the complete, unhindered reopening of the Strait and rejected Iran’s attempts to charge transit fees or exercise unilateral control, viewing the Iranian demands as unlikely to be agreed upon.

While U.S. officials expressed optimism over a potential 30- to 60-day maritime truce, they warned that sanctions relief and unfreezing assets remain strictly tied to a broader peace agreement and nuclear compliance.

Zolghadr’s public hardline stance Saturday, follows unconfirmed reports of internal debates within Tehran. Reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian had supported the Omani diplomatic track to resolve the crisis and end economic isolation. However, hardline factions led by Zolghadr and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders insist that the strait remain closed as leverage against U.S. pressure.

Vice President JD Vance told Fox News on Saturday: "We're talking to the Iranians, of course. We're trying to maximize the amount of oil and gas that is coming out of the Strait of Hormuz. We're just trying to make sure that we get what we need out of this particular conflict.

"We've destroyed their nuclear program, we've destroyed their conventional military, we've radically reduced their asymmetric military abilities, and right now, we're trying to see if they're willing to make the kind of long-term changes that would be necessary to have a better relationship with the United States—and if not, that's fine too. We're just going to keep on applying the pressure that we can apply and getting as much oil and gas out of the Middle East so that Americans can enjoy lower gas and energy prices."