The Iranians said on Monday that any deal with Oman on controlling shipping in the Strait of Hormuz would not lead to the waterway being fully reopened until the United States agreed to several of its demands.
These demands show that the Iranians believe they are winning and that the US consistently stopping the air campaign for negotiations demonstrates US weakness.
President Donald Trump delivers delivers remarks to troops at Al Udeid Air Base, Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Doha, Qatar. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)
President Donald Trump hosts a bilateral meeting with President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador, Monday, April 14, 2025, in the Oval Office. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)
This has emboldened Tehran, which is now demanding compliance from the US.
Iran’s demands, as ridiculous as they are, show that they believe the United States is not capable of seeing any kind of military action through and has left little to no room for compromise.
Talks With Oman Continue To “Final Stages”
Iran said on Sunday that a deal with Oman on new shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz was in its final stages, but the waterway would not fully reopen until the United States met Iran’s demand.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said the deal would set new shipping routes through the strait once the conditions were met. He said the talks with Oman did not mean the Strait of Hormuz would fully reopen.
Esmail Baghaei, spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, said “this issue is separate from the discussion of reopening the Strait of Hormuz,” which was “contingent upon the removal of the conditions that have been imposed on the Islamic Republic of Iran” by the United States.
Prior to the conflict, the Strait of Hormuz carried about 20 percent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.
Iran’s Demands To Reopen The Strait
Last week, Iran issued a set of demands that Washington must comply with before it would agree to reopen the Strait.
Those demands include the lifting of the U.S. naval blockade and sanctions on Iran, the withdrawal of American forces from around the country, the payment of war reparations by Washington, the release of frozen Iranian assets, and the end of attacks on Iran’s allies in Lebanon, Gaza, Yemen, and Iraq.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) already contained most of the same language, but it also compelled Iran to abide by several stipulations, notably to reopen the Strait. Iran quickly violated the MoU by firing on tankers transiting the Strait on the Omani side.
Now the Iranians are demanding that Washington cave to their demands before they will consider reopening the strategic waterway.
Mark Esper, the former Pentagon chief from President Trump’s first term, minced no words on Iran’s demands.
“So it’s gone beyond the pale,” he said. “But what it tells you is two things,” he added. “First of all, they haven’t apparently left any room for negotiation.”
“Secondly and more importantly, it shows that they believe they have the upper hand, they believe they’re winning, and they are emboldened.”
Trump Says The US Is “Low-keying It” With Iran
President Donald Trump said yesterday that the US is “low-keying” negotiations with Tehran. He said that economic pressure would continue on Iran.
He stated that he’s prepared to allow economic pressure on Iran to mount — as opposed to ordering a new military offensive, which he threatened would be the largest since World War II just last week.
In a phone interview with Axios, he stated, “We are only semi-negotiating with them. We are just watching Iran with its huge inflation and the fact they have no money.”
He added that Iran’s economic situation was dire and that the country was unable to pay its troops, and that the US naval blockade and economic sanctions would ultimately prove their worth ultimately.
“It will work out. It always works out. It’s like a chess game,” Trump said of the back-and-forth with Iran.
US Claims Oil Is Being Shipped Through The Strait Of Hormuz
U.S. officials and the Trump administration have stated that roughly 8 to 8.5 million barrels of oil transit the Strait of Hormuz every night with U.S. military coordination and assistance, amid conflicting claims and an active blockade during the ongoing regional conflict.
However, independent tracking firms, such as Kpler, reported significantly lower volumes—averaging closer to 3 million barrels per day—casting doubt on the scale of the nighttime movements claimed by the administration.
“We’re in the middle of the game here…This thing is not over. It’s obviously not at the beginning. We’re in the middle of the game, and we’re applying a whole host of tools — diplomatic, economic, military tools — to ensure that we get the best outcome for the American people,” Vice President Vance told Fox News on Saturday.
About the Author: Steve Balestrieri
Steve Balestrieri is a National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing on defense, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in many military publications.
