Iran sets strict conditions for Strait of Hormuz reopening amid rising maritime clashes

Tehran has declared that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until Washington lifts petroleum sanctions, unfreezes Iranian assets, and ceases all military operations. Despite this firm public position, an Iranian official privately signaled that the strategic waterway could reopen within seven days if the United States reduces military pressure and resumes negotiations.

Concurrently, military confrontations along the trade corridor are intensifying. US forces have begun escorting commercial oil tankers through the strait under cover of darkness, while Iranian forces responded by deploying rocket-launched sea mines. A recent US air strike on Larak Island further underscores the expanding battlefield, as both nations attempt to establish leverage while diplomatic channels remain fragile.

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