Iran Maintains Hormuz Conditions as Pakistan’s Interior Minister Visits Tehran

Iran has reaffirmed that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed unless the United States meets Tehran’s conditions, as Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi visited Tehran in an effort to support diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.

Mohsen Rezaei, the newly appointed head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said Washington must end its military campaign, lift the naval blockade on Iranian ports and release Iranian funds frozen abroad before the waterway can fully reopen.

Rezaei also called for a region-wide ceasefire covering Gaza and Lebanon, saying Iran would not reopen the strait until all of its demands were met.

Pakistan Steps Up Mediation

Naqvi met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Tehran. Discussions focused on strengthening political, economic, trade, cultural and security ties, while Pakistan continued its efforts to mediate an end to the conflict.

Qatar, another mediator, said talks between Iran and Oman over shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz had made significant progress. However, Iran said any agreement with Oman would not automatically lead to the reopening of the strategic waterway.

Former US diplomat Alan Eyre said Iran was deliberately keeping the strait closed to increase pressure on Washington and strengthen its strategic position.

US and Houthi Attacks on Shipping

Meanwhile, the conflict continued to affect commercial shipping.

US Central Command said a US Navy MH-60 helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles at a Panama-flagged cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman after it allegedly ignored warnings to stop violating the US naval blockade of Iranian ports.

In the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, four crew members were reportedly killed in a suspected Houthi attack on an Egyptian-owned cargo ship. Two Yemeni rescuers were also killed during the incident.

The latest attacks have heightened concerns over the security of major international shipping routes connecting the Red Sea, Gulf of Oman and the wider Middle East.

The conflict has also spread to Lebanon, where Iran-backed Hezbollah has attacked Israel while Israeli forces have continued military strikes.

With the US-Israel war against Iran showing no clear sign of ending, diplomatic efforts by Pakistan, Qatar and Oman are increasingly focused on securing a ceasefire and restoring safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

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