TEHRAN August 8, 2026 — Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Saturday that the Strait of Hormuz will reopen only if the United States fully accepts Tehran’s conditions, declaring the demand independent of ongoing talks between Iran and Oman.
IRGC Spokesperson Brigadier General Hossein Mohebbi told the Iranian state agency Tasnim that reopening the strategic waterway “depends entirely on specific mechanisms and conditions set by Iran” and has “no connection to ongoing negotiations with Oman.”
“For us, the Strait of Hormuz is not merely an economic waterway, but rather a component of geographical and strategic power,” Mohebbi said. “Whenever the U.S. accepts Iran’s conditions and ceases to interfere in the regional negotiations, the Strait of Hormuz will definitely open.”
The statement comes as Iran and Oman continue discussions on a possible arrangement for commercial shipping through the narrow waterway, which normally carries about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply. Reports in recent days have suggested a potential deal under which ships would enter the Persian Gulf via Iranian-controlled waters and exit via Omani waters for a limited period, with possible service or environmental fees. U.S. officials have indicated they would lift the naval blockade on Iranian ports once unimpeded commercial traffic resumes.
Iranian diplomats have framed the Oman talks as bilateral and focused solely on safe navigation routes between the two coastal states. The IRGC’s remarks signal that hardline elements within Iran’s security apparatus view any such arrangement as separate from the broader conditions they demand from Washington.
The latest comments follow months of disruption in the Strait since the outbreak of wider hostilities in late February 2026. A fragile memorandum of understanding in mid-June briefly eased restrictions, but repeated incidents, including attacks on commercial vessels and mutual military strikes, have kept traffic well below normal levels.
Separately on Saturday, reports emerged of an Iranian missile striking a vessel operated by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) in the Strait of Hormuz. No injuries were reported in the latest incident. ADNOC said Friday that 15 of its vessels had been targeted by missiles or drones since the conflict began, resulting in one crew member killed and 20 injured.
The IRGC controls the naval forces that have enforced restrictions and conducted most of the confirmed attacks on shipping in the waterway throughout the crisis. Its insistence that U.S. acceptance of Iranian conditions is a prerequisite for reopening adds uncertainty to diplomatic efforts aimed at restoring normal oil flows.
Global energy markets continue to watch the situation closely, as prolonged restrictions on the Strait have contributed to elevated freight rates and supply concerns.
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