Iran insists Strait of Hormuz will remain closed pending US response

Tehran maintains that the Strait of Hormuz will stay closed until Washington fulfills its demands, despite previously floating a seven-day reopening proposal to initiate negotiations through mediators. Iranian officials acknowledged awareness of US President Donald Trump’s initial rejection of the temporary initiative but stated they are still awaiting an official, definitive position from the United States.

Iran's preconditions for permanently lifting the shipping blockade include ending US port blockades, suspending oil sanctions, unfreezing assets, and halting military operations. Meanwhile, military tensions in the strategic passage are intensifying following a US strike on Larak Island. American forces have begun conducting nighttime escorts for commercial oil tankers, while Iranian forces responded by deploying rocket-launched naval mines into critical shipping lanes.

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