Iran on Wednesday made U.S. naval activity a precondition for normal operations in the Strait of Hormuz, saying reopening the waterway is impossible if a U.S. blockade continues, the BBC reported.
The comment casts the strait used by Qatar’s LNG carriers and oil tankers from Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, and Iraq as a bargaining point in Iran’s wider confrontation with Washington over sanctions, asset freezes, and regional deployments.
Iran did not specify what constitutes the “blockade” but has previously objected to U.S.-led maritime task forces, ship inspections, and seizures of Iranian oil cargoes under sanctions enforcement.
The U.S. and its allies maintain that their presence ensures the right of all nations to transit international straits under UNCLOS. Iran is not a signatory to UNCLOS but says it respects innocent passage when not threatened.
Regional states, including Oman and the UAE, have called for de-escalation to protect trade. No emergency OPEC or GCC meeting has been announced.
