Iran Demands U.S. Concessions Before Reopening Strait of Hormuz

Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper recently spoke to Fox News about the risks of a new arrangement involving Iran and Oman in the Strait of Hormuz. He warned that giving these nations roles in managing traffic through this critical choke point could prove to be a very bad outcome for the United States. The stakes are incredibly high because this waterway remains tense with threats from Tehran.

Iranian General Hossein Mohebbi, who serves as a spokesperson for the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, took a hard line Saturday. He stated that the Strait will not reopen unless the United States accepts every condition set by Iran. According to reports from state-run Tasnim News Agency, Mohebbi said this clearly.

Mohebbi told reporters that once America agrees to Tehran's terms and stops its interventionist approach, the path forward becomes clear. He argued that reopening the channel is not just about economics but stands as a symbol of Iran's geopolitical power. The general insisted this move is completely independent of any talks happening between Iran and Oman right now.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi told followers on Telegram that negotiations with Oman are moving quickly toward an agreement. He claimed the country is very close to finalizing a deal on how traffic gets managed legally in the strait. However, Araghchi added a major catch regarding compensation for violations of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding by the United States.

That memorandum represents a specific framework where President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian agreed to end the war. They also called for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and launching sixty days of nuclear negotiations under that same deal. Despite these promises, Iran has kept attacking commercial shipping in the waterway. Meanwhile, U.S. Central Command struck more than a dozen Iranian military targets over consecutive days in July as part of a campaign to weaken Tehran's ability to threaten maritime traffic.

Bahrain stepped into the fray after a ship was targeted in the strait. The state-run Bahrain News Agency reported that the kingdom demanded the United Nations Security Council compel Iran to reopen the passage and stop attacks on commercial vessels. This action is necessary to preserve regional and global security according to their urgent plea.

The Bahraini Ministry strongly condemned a missile attack on an Abu Dhabi National Oil Company tanker while it was transiting the area. They described the event as a blatant violation of international law, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and UN Security Council Resolution 2817. It is also viewed as a grave threat to maritime navigation and global energy supply chains around the world.

The ministry urged the UN Security Council to uphold its responsibilities and implement decisive measures to protect ships passing through this dangerous zone. They emphasized that key international waterways must remain safe for everyone. Without strong action, the flow of oil and goods could be disrupted further by ongoing hostility.

A separate incident occurred Saturday when a ship was hit by an unknown projectile while traveling through the Strait of Hormuz. The U.K. Maritime Trade Operations Center confirmed this attack based on verified sources from the region. The strike happened eighteen nautical miles east of Khasab, Oman near the border with Iran. A fire broke out immediately after impact but has since been extinguished by local crews.

What exactly fired that projectile remains unclear at this moment. Experts worry these attacks could escalate quickly if diplomatic efforts fail to produce results soon enough. The situation requires careful attention from governments and international bodies alike.

There is no reported environmental impact from the incident, said UKMTO. The vessel and crew are reported as safe, it added.

Qatar's Foreign Ministry spoke out Saturday to reject using the Strait of Hormuz as a bargaining chip after Iran fired a missile at an Abu Dhabi National Oil Company ship. The State of Qatar strongly condemns the Iranian attack that targeted an Emirati tanker affiliated with ADNOC company while it passed through the Strait of Hormuz. Officials call it a flagrant violation of international law and freedom of maritime navigation. It is also a blatant breach of UN Security Council Resolution 2817, the ministry said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs renews Qatar's categorical rejection of using the strait as leverage. It calls for reopening the passage without conditions. Freedom of navigation in this vital artery is a firmly established principle that admits no compromise. Continued closure exposes the vital interests of regional countries and the global economy to danger, it added.

The United Arab Emirates' Ministry of Foreign Affairs also spoke Saturday regarding the attack on an ADNOC vessel traveling through the Strait of Hormuz. The UAE has strongly condemned and denounced the hostile Iranian attack involving a missile that targeted a carrier affiliated with ADNOC as it transited. No injuries were reported at the time, according to the ministry.

Targeting commercial shipping and using the strait as a tool of economic coercion or blackmail represents acts of piracy by Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps. These actions constitute a direct threat to regional stability, its peoples, and global energy security, the ministry added.

ADNOC said Friday that 15 of its ships have been attacked by missiles and drones while traveling through the Strait of Hormuz since the conflict with Iran began in late February, according to Reuters. Three of those ships reportedly were attacked this week. Overall, the attacks left one crew member dead and 20 injured.

Israel and Lebanon reached an agreement on a shortlist of countries that could send troops to verify Hezbollah disarmament under a U.S.-mediated peace framework, a report said. The list was generated during meetings between both sides at the U.S. embassy in Rome this week. Negotiations focused on implementing the June 26 deal that ties Israel's withdrawal of troops from southern Lebanon to Hezbollah disarmament overseen by a third party, according to Reuters.

We have reached a short list of countries. We decided which parties were impossible for each and set the potential actors, a Lebanese official told Reuters.

American leaders face a stark choice now, one that could involve supporting more than just a single nation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a joint statement in late July declaring that the IDF will stay within its security zone in southern Lebanon. They also promised to keep destroying terror infrastructure so Hezbollah cannot rebuild its fighting power.

Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper sounded an alarm Friday regarding a potential deal between Iran and Oman. He warned on Fox News America Reports that giving Tehran and Muscat roles in managing traffic through the Strait of Hormuz could lead to a very bad outcome for the United States. Reports suggest these two nations are nearing an agreement to split passage into a northern route inside the Persian Gulf and a southern route along Omani waters.

"They may or may not charge a fee, but they would administer and control it in one way, shape, or form, which would be a very bad outcome for us," Esper said during his interview. This potential arrangement means foreign powers could dictate flow through a critical waterway that supplies global energy markets.

Esper pointed out President Donald Trump has stated he is personally involved in these negotiations. Iranian officials have publicly disputed any direct American participation in the talks despite this claim from the White House. "I think what we're waiting for now is to find out, is there a deal between Oman and Iran, and to what degree did the United States play a role or has a role in it," Esper said while discussing the uncertainty surrounding these diplomatic moves.

The situation remains fluid as officials try to determine if a new agreement is forming behind closed doors. Yesterday Fox News Digital provided live coverage of this escalating conflict with Iran through their dedicated blog stream. Greg Norman-Diamond and Jasmine Baehr led that reporting effort throughout the day. The stakes are high for American security interests in the region.