1st LD Writethru: IRGC says Hormuz Strait not to be opened if U.S. refuses to accept Iran's conditions

TEHRAN, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Wednesday that the Strait of Hormuz will not be opened if the United States does not accept Iran's conditions, according to the IRGC's official news outlet Sepah News.

IRGC spokesman Hossein Mohebbi told reporters that the strategic waterway remains under Iranian control and no vessel can pass through it without Iran's permission.

"All the enemy warships are at least 400 km away from the Strait of Hormuz, and from the military and territorial perspectives, no vessel is able to pass through this waterway without Iran's permission and management," Mohebbi said, adding that even the route near Oman is fully under Iranian control while underlining that the Strait of Hormuz belongs to Iran and Oman.

He said that Iran and Oman have reached agreements on their respective shares of the strait and its revenues following negotiations.

Mohebbi blamed U.S. "obstructionism" for delaying the negotiation process, noting that if Washington returns to the peace memorandum of understanding (MoU) it signed with Iran in June, "we can open the Strait of Hormuz within the agreed framework."

"Therefore, the United States must accept our conditions. If the United States does not accept our conditions, the Strait of Hormuz will not be opened under any circumstance," he added.

Iran tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz on Feb. 28, barring passage of vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States following their joint strikes on Iranian territory.

On June 18, the United States and Iran signed the MoU on ending the war in the region on all fronts, including Lebanon. Under the MoU, they were scheduled to hold negotiations within a period of 60 days, which ended on Aug. 17, to reach a final agreement, but the talks' fate remains unclear following the escalation between the two countries last month.

In a joint statement on Tuesday night, Iran and Oman announced that they have discussed a phased framework that includes the establishment of a temporary joint shipping corridor in the Strait of Hormuz and an agreement to implement a joint demining project.

The statement said that technical negotiations will continue towards a permanent shipping corridor and the future administration of the waterway, including information exchange, traffic management, and relevant navigation and security services. Enditem