August 19, 2026: Iran’s top negotiator has drawn a clear red line on the Strait of Hormuz.
Parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said the vital waterway will stay shut until the United States meets key conditions from the June interim deal.
He listed four main demands in comments published by state media on Tuesday.
The U.S. must lift its blockade of Iranian ports. It must lift oil sanctions. It must release Tehran’s frozen assets. And it must end threats and military operations on all fronts.
Only then, Qalibaf told parliament, would Iran reopen the strait.
How the June Deal Fell Apart
On June 17, the United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding.
The goal was simple on paper: stop the fighting, reopen the strait, and start talks on a wider deal that included Iran’s nuclear program.
Iran agreed to allow commercial ships to pass free of charge for 60 days. The U.S. agreed to begin lifting its naval blockade and end it within 30 days.
The arrangement quickly broke down
(Source: PSU connect)
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