Iran's President Calls for End to 'No War, No Peace' Stalemate with US

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has called for an end to the "no war, no peace" state with the United States, expressing confidence that the time is right for a lasting agreement as negotiators seek a solution to end the war.

Speaking on Saturday, Pezeshkian asserted that Iran is in a position of strength, with national unity and power. He emphasized that Iran is seen as the victor in this conflict and must find a way out of the current impasse.

The Iranian leader's remarks came as Iran and Oman push forward with a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway that in peacetime saw about one-fifth of global crude oil transit. Tehran has effectively blockaded the strait since the US and Israel launched a military campaign against Iran on February 28, which has killed more than 3,400 people.

Progress in Talks with Oman

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that discussions with Oman on the transit and management of the Strait of Hormuz are in their final stages. However, he stressed that reopening Hormuz depends on other conditions and compensation for violations of a memorandum of understanding signed with the US in June.

Reports indicate that Iran and Oman have made significant progress toward an agreement under which Iran would monitor vessels entering the Gulf and Oman would manage outgoing traffic. Tehran says the two sides have agreed on coordinates for new shipping lanes through the strait.

Hossein Mohebbi, spokesman for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), stated that reopening the Strait of Hormuz hinges on the US accepting Iran's conditions. "Whenever the US accepts Iran's conditions, the Strait of Hormuz will certainly be reopened," Mohebbi said.

Iran's New Conditions

On Saturday, Iran's Supreme National Security Council unveiled new conditions that could further complicate efforts to reopen Hormuz and end the war. Council Secretary Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr declared that the strait will remain closed until Washington "adjusts its behavior."

The six conditions listed include:

• Ending US threats against Iran and what is described as insults to Iran's religious national values
• Permanently stopping attacks on Iran and its allies in Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, and Iraq
• Lifting the US naval blockade and withdrawing US naval and air forces from the region around Iran
• Compensating for damages caused by the two imposed wars
• Lifting international sanctions
• Unconditionally releasing Iran's frozen assets

These conditions significantly expand the demands Tehran has set before it would reopen Hormuz, linking the waterway to a broader set of political, military, and economic requests than those in the June memorandum.

Key Sticking Points

The Strait of Hormuz is the most immediate sticking point. An Iran-Oman deal could allow shipping to resume, but the US opposes giving Iran unilateral control over the strategic waterway. Washington also objects to proposed fees associated with the deal. For its part, Iran views managing shipping traffic as a major source of leverage.

Traffic through Hormuz has dropped sharply as Iran has targeted vessels it accuses of avoiding its preferred route through Iranian waters. On Saturday, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that a ship was struck by gunfire near the Omani coast in the Strait of Hormuz, causing a fire that was extinguished, with no casualties. The identity of the attacker remains unknown.

US sanctions and the blockade are another major obstacle. For Tehran, reopening Hormuz without achieving substantial economic relief would mean giving up one of its strongest negotiating tools. Foreign Minister Araghchi said that US compensation for war damages must be met before the strait is reopened, along with other conditions.