Iran is drafting a list of conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, according to Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, on Thursday.
Rezaei said mediators had asked Tehran to spell out its conditions, and that ending the regional war is among them.
The statement came as Qatar's prime minister held talks in Tehran, becoming the third country to send a delegation to Iran in a week, following Pakistan and Oman. Qatar's foreign ministry said the two sides discussed a temporary corridor through the strait and a joint project to clear mines in the area.
Rezaei said Iran and Oman had agreed on a corridor passing partly through Omani territorial waters and partly through Iranian waters, where ships could use the middle channel if Washington meets Tehran's demands.
"The U.S. must first take practical steps to meet Iran's conditions, and then Iran will proceed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz," he told the IRNA news agency.
A spokesman for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Wednesday that Tehran would not allow the strait to be reopened unless Washington lifts a blockade on Iranian ports, compensates for war damages, and removes sanctions.
Tehran effectively closed the strait after U.S. and Israeli airstrikes began on February 28.
The strait was briefly reopened under a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in June, under which Iran would clear mines and allow free passage for 60 days, while Washington lifted its blockade and eased sanctions. Iran declared it closed again after accusing the U.S. of violating the MoU, while the U.S. reimposed its blockade in retaliation. The deal expired on August 17, though both sides had abandoned it weeks earlier.
On the same day, speaking at the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump declared the strait was "open," saying U.S. forces had cleared mines and millions of barrels of oil were passing through daily.
In an interview with Al Jazeera on Wednesday, Trump said he was in no hurry to resume talks with Iran. "I have no timetable, none at all. I'm in no rush," he said. A source in his administration said the blockade would remain in place and no talks with Iran were currently scheduled.
