Official: Iran refuses to reopen Hormuz until sanctions, blockade lifted

Iran will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until oil sanctions are lifted, frozen assets are released, and what it described as the US blockade is ended, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on August 18.

Speaking during the 180th open session of Iran's parliament, Ghalibaf said the conditions set out in the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding must be fully implemented before the strategic waterway is reopened, Caliber.Az reports, citing Iranian media.

Those conditions include lifting the blockade, releasing frozen Iranian assets, ending oil sanctions and stopping threats and military operations on all fronts, he said.

Ghalibaf also warned that Iran was prepared to respond more forcefully to any further actions by its adversaries.

“As we had predicted, the enemy, who had accepted the agreement to end the war out of desperation, soon reneged on its commitments in order to compensate for its heavy political defeat,” Ghalibaf continued.

Stating that Iran is ready to confront the enemy's actions, the speaker stated, "The Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to inflict a heavier defeat on the enemy than before, in proportion to its actions and advances."

By Aghakazim Guliyev