Strait Of Hormuz To Stay Closed Until US Fulfils June Deal Pledges: Iran's Ghalibaf

Iran has stated that it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until the United States fulfils commitments Tehran says were made under a June 2026 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has reiterated Tehran's position on the Strait of Hormuz, saying the key waterway will remain closed until the US fulfils its commitments under the peace deal signed in June, which has since collapsed.

Addressing Parliament, Ghalibaf also said that Iran has “explicitly conveyed its messages and conditions to the opposing side through intermediaries”, Al Jazeera reported.

“The enemy is well aware that the path of deception and unilateral imposition is closed; until these conditions are met, the legitimate rights of the Iranian nation are recognised, and American commitments are fulfilled, there will be no opening for a return to the previous state of negotiations or for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz,” he stated.

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What are Iran's conditions?

According to an August 18 report by Reuters, Ghalibaf told the Iranian Parliament that the US would have to lift its blockade of Iranian ports, remove sanctions against Iran, release Iranian frozen assets, end US threats against Iran, end US military operations against Iran on all fronts and implement the other commitments that Tehran says Washington made under the June MoU.

What was the June MoU?

The June memorandum was intended to provide a framework for further negotiations between Washington and Tehran, including discussions on Iran's nuclear programme. Under the agreement, the two countries had committed to negotiating a final deal within a maximum of 60 days, with the possibility of extending that period by mutual consent, Reuters reported. However, the agreement quickly unravelled amid disagreements over the control of the Strait of Hormuz, with US President Donald Trump declaring the agreement “over” on July 7, while Iran's Foreign Ministry declared it suspended a week later.

Why is the Strait of Hormuz important?

The Strait of Hormuz is a strategic waterway connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and is one of the world's most important energy corridors. Before the current conflict, about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas flows passed through the waterway, Reuters reported. Any prolonged disruption to traffic through the Strait therefore has serious implications for international energy supplies and maritime trade.

According to Reuters, shipping activity through the Strait has remained far below normal levels in recent weeks. On September 16, preliminary shipping data cited in the report showed only four vessel crossings, compared with a 10-day average of 18. Two of the vessels were entering the Strait and two were leaving, while no very large crude carriers or LNG tankers were recorded among the four crossings. The report also cautioned that some vessels may have transited the waterway with their tracking transponders switched off and therefore may not have been included in the reported figures.

Iran's position

Ghalibaf's remarks indicate that Tehran is continuing to link the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to the implementation of what it regards as Washington's obligations under the June agreement, which is now effectively defunct.

The statement also comes amid a broader breakdown in US-Iran diplomacy, with Reuters reporting that an Iranian official said Tehran would adopt a more offensive posture because diplomatic efforts had stalled.

ALSO READ: Iran May Exit Nuclear Treaty If US, Israel Keep Up Pressure: Rezaei

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