Iran has laid down a series of conditions for reopening the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, including compensation for damage suffered during the war, potentially complicating efforts to restore normal shipping through the vital waterway.

Tehran has effectively restricted passage through the strait since the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran in late February.

The restrictions have significantly affected maritime traffic through the route, which is critical to the global oil trade.

Iran has also sought to impose charges on vessels using the waterway and has targeted ships it accuses of trying to avoid its preferred route through Iranian waters.

Iran demands end to hostilities

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said negotiations with Oman concerning transit and the management of the Strait of Hormuz were nearing their final stages.

However, he stressed that an agreement on reopening the waterway would depend on other conditions, including compensation.

According to Araghchi, the reopening of the strait was “subject to other conditions and compensation for the violation” of the June agreement.

His remarks came as mediators continued efforts to revive previous agreements and reduce tensions surrounding the waterway.

Tehran outlines demands

Iranian security chief Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr separately outlined a broader set of demands that Tehran wants addressed before the strait is reopened.

According to remarks reported by Tasnim news agency, Iran is seeking an end to what it described as military aggression against the country and its allies in Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen and Iraq.

Zolghadr also called for the removal of a parallel US naval blockade, the lifting of sanctions against Iran, the release of frozen Iranian assets and compensation for wartime damage.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also rejected suggestions that the reopening of Hormuz was directly tied to negotiations between Iran and Oman.

It said Iran’s opponents would ultimately have to accept Tehran’s conditions for the waterway to reopen.

Shipping attacks raise concerns

The latest demands came amid a sharp reduction in commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran has targeted vessels it accuses of attempting to bypass its preferred maritime route, further increasing concerns about the safety of international shipping.

The United Arab Emirates Foreign Ministry on Saturday condemned what it described as a “hostile Iranian attack” on an oil tanker operated by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company.

The ministry said the tanker was struck by a missile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, although no casualties were reported.

Later, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported that a vessel had been struck by a projectile off Oman in the Strait of Hormuz.

The incident caused a fire that was subsequently extinguished, with no casualties reported.

It remained unclear whether the incident reported by UKMTO involved the same vessel referenced by the UAE authorities.

ADNOC reports multiple attacks

ADNOC said on Friday that 15 of its vessels had come under attack in the Strait of Hormuz since the beginning of the war.

The company said three of its vessels had been attacked during the same week.

The incidents have intensified fears over the potential disruption of energy supplies and the wider impact on international trade if maritime traffic through the strait remains restricted.

The Strait of Hormuz is a key maritime passage connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.

Oman urges restraint

Oman’s Foreign Ministry condemned what it described as repeated attacks on vessels using the Strait of Hormuz but did not directly identify Iran as responsible.

The ministry said negotiations on navigation arrangements were continuing in a positive and constructive atmosphere.

It urged all parties to avoid actions that could undermine the diplomatic process.

Under the previous Iran-US agreement, Iran and Oman were expected to discuss future arrangements for navigation through the strait alongside other Gulf countries and in accordance with applicable international law.

Toll proposal could trigger legal dispute

Iran’s demand for payments from vessels using the waterway could become another major obstacle in negotiations.

International maritime law generally protects transit through international straits and limits attempts to impose charges on vessels exercising transit rights.

Any effort to formalise toll payments could therefore face legal and diplomatic opposition from countries whose ships rely on the waterway.

Turkey seeks wider regional security pact

Meanwhile, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Egypt could join a proposed defence arrangement involving Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.

Fidan described Egypt as a natural partner and said he expected Cairo to become part of the alliance in the future.

“I believe that at the next stage Egypt will also be among us in the alliance. We already act toward one another as if we were alliance members,” he said.

Fidan said the agreement was not directed against any specific country.

“There is no common threat that we have put in writing,” he added.

Pakistan says pact strengthens deterrence

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said the agreement provides that an attack against one member would be considered an attack against all members.

The ministry said the arrangement was designed to strengthen collective deterrence and regional security.

The proposed security cooperation comes as tensions remain high across the Middle East, with concerns growing over attacks on shipping and the possibility of further disruption to vital trade routes.