Iran has escalated its demands for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, calling for U.S. force withdrawals, sanctions relief, compensation, and the release of frozen assets. The tougher position comes as reports point to a growing power struggle between Iranian negotiators seeking economic relief and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which is pressing for broader concessions and tighter control over any agreement.
Efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz are facing new uncertainty after Iran issued a sweeping list of demands to the United States, even as mediators have reportedly moved closer to a framework for restoring commercial traffic through the strategic waterway.
Iran's Supreme National Security Council laid out six conditions that it says must be met before the strait can fully reopen. The demands include an end to the U.S. maritime blockade and sanctions, the withdrawal of American naval and air forces from areas surrounding Iran, compensation for wartime damage, and the unconditional release of frozen Iranian assets.
Tehran also demanded an end to attacks against Iran-aligned forces in Lebanon, the Palestinian territories, Yemen, and Iraq, while calling on Washington to halt what Iranian officials described as threats and insults.
"Until the United States corrects its behavior, the Strait of Hormuz will not reopen," Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said in remarks carried by Iranian state media.
IRGC Pressure Complicates Negotiations
The tougher Iranian position comes amid signs of an internal struggle over how far Tehran should go in reaching an agreement.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Iranian negotiators had accepted a proposal dividing Hormuz traffic into an inbound route near Iran and an outbound route near Oman. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, however, has pushed for stronger guarantees protecting Iran's control and economic interests.
The IRGC is reportedly seeking authority to collect transit fees, guarantees of relief from U.S. oil sanctions, and firm assurances that restrictions on Iran will be lifted.
Mediators are increasingly concerned that Iran's diplomatic team may not have enough authority to guarantee that any agreement will actually be enforced. Iranian negotiators are reportedly eager to secure economic relief, while the IRGC retains significant power over military and security decisions.
The Journal reported that Iranian representatives warned mediators that the IRGC could resume attacks on ships if it concludes that an agreement does not provide sufficient concessions.
Iranian Hardliners Push Back
The dispute reflects a broader power struggle inside Iran between officials seeking a diplomatic settlement and hardliners demanding greater concessions from Washington.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and other officials favoring negotiations have faced criticism from Iran's conservative establishment. The hardline Kayhan newspaper has attacked a Hormuz agreement as giving Iran's enemies an escape route, while some lawmakers have reportedly discussed efforts to remove Araghchi.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, meanwhile, has argued that the country's worsening economic situation makes a diplomatic resolution increasingly urgent.
Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi has also publicly defended the need for sanctions relief, criticizing domestic opponents of negotiations.
Tehran Says Direct Talks Have Not Resumed
Despite reports that Oman and Iran are close to an understanding over shipping arrangements, Araghchi said Tehran is not currently engaged in direct negotiations with Washington.
"We are not negotiating with the United States right now," Araghchi told reporters in Tehran, saying messages were instead being exchanged through mediators.
He added that formal negotiations would not resume unless Washington addresses what Iran describes as violations of an earlier memorandum of understanding.
An IRGC spokesman also signaled that the regime's military leadership has no intention of easing pressure without major concessions, saying Iran's strategy is to hold the strait until its conditions are accepted.
Strategic Shipping Route Remains Severely Disrupted
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world's most important energy corridors, and traffic has yet to return to normal levels.
Shipping data cited by Kpler showed that roughly 10 vessels per day crossed the strait during the previous week, less than one-tenth of prewar traffic levels.
The latest Iranian demands have weakened hopes for a rapid reopening. The New York Times reported that Tehran's conditions undercut expectations that an agreement with Oman would soon restore normal commercial traffic.
The standoff also underscores the continued influence of the IRGC, which remains the central military force behind Iran's regional network and its pressure campaign in the Gulf. Even if Iranian diplomats reach an understanding through mediators, implementation may ultimately depend on whether the regime's hardline security establishment accepts the terms.
For Washington and its regional allies, the central issue is no longer only whether Iran's negotiators can sign a deal, but whether Tehran's military leadership intends to honor one.
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