Iran says reopening Strait of Hormuz depends on US meeting its demands

Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Iran "will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until its conditions are met and US commitments are fulfilled."

Ghalibaf added, according to Iran's Fars News Agency, "As long as the legitimate rights of the Iranian people are not recognized and the US does not fulfill its commitments, the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed."

The parliament speaker also noted that Iran must both fight and negotiate at the same time, adding that Tehran "will use military force to deter its enemies, and diplomacy to consolidate its battlefield gains when the time is right."

Separately, US Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper said yesterday that efforts are ongoing to keep the Strait of Hormuz safe and open to navigation, noting that thousands of ships are currently passing through the strait and that the main shipping lanes are completely free of mines.

Cooper explained that US efforts over the past two months have facilitated the passage of more than one billion barrels of crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz, in addition to assisting over 2,000 commercial vessels.