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Iran demands end to US sanctions as Strait of Hormuz clashes intensify

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Posted Sep 16, 2026, 04:00 PM UTC · In the digest of 2026-09-16-1600
Iran demands end to US sanctions as Strait of Hormuz clashes intensify
Photo: RTP (Rádio e Televisão de Portugal)

Iran insists the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the US lifts sanctions and halts military operations following major naval clashes.

Military activity continues to escalate in the Strait of Hormuz as the United States executed its largest crude oil convoy operation since hostilities began six months ago. Supported by aerial, naval, and space assets, American forces escorted millions of barrels of oil through the waterway during a nighttime operation, alongside strikes on Iranian targets at Larak Island.

In response, Iranian forces deployed naval mines into the shipping channel via rockets. Tehran stated that the strategic passage "will not be opened" until Washington agrees to a memorandum requiring the removal of port blockades, lifting crude sanctions, unfreezing assets, and halting military actions across all fronts.

Prior to the conflict, approximately 20 million barrels of crude traversed the strait daily.

Sources: Expresso, Expresso das Ilhas, RTP (Rádio e Televisão de Portugal)

How outlets assessed this

  • Sep 16, 2026, 04:00 PM UTC
    • Expresso Alarmed Framed the escalating battle for control as a highly dangerous moment with severe risks of further conflict.
    • RTP (Rádio e Televisão de Portugal) Neutral Focused on Iran's official memorandum conditions required before reopening the strategic waterway.
    • Expresso das Ilhas Neutral Emphasized the massive scale of the US crude transport and military assets involved in the operation.

Sources

Earlier coverage

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