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Iran on Sunday refuted reports alleging that it had consented to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz, rejecting US President Donald Trump's assertion that a draft agreement with Tehran encompassed the "immediate, complete, and total" reopening of the crucial maritime corridor.
Iranian state media similarly dismissed reports regarding an accord as baseless, with officials cautioning that the strait will stay shut for as long as Washington persists with what Tehran termed hostile actions. According to the semi-official news agency Fars, citing sources connected to Iran's diplomatic team and military leadership, no arrangement has been reached regarding the reopening of the route. "There is no agreement on reopening the Strait of Hormuz," Fars cited a knowledgeable source as stating. The source added that the maritime passage would stay blocked as long as US "hostile actions" persisted. Iranian representatives further dismissed assertions that Tehran had endorsed any proposal to alter its operational stance on the vital shipping channel. As per Fars, maritime vessels will be allowed passage along a specified route only following prior coordination with and formal authorisation from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy. Fars quoted a military source warning that ships endeavouring to navigate unapproved routes could encounter "incidents". The statements underline Tehran's persistent hold over the maritime chokepoint amid escalating friction with Washington. Concurrently, Iranian defence officials rejected claims by Trump that Tehran had requested him to stand down from a proposed American strike. Mehr News Agency cited officials characterising the assertion as "another lie" aimed at exerting leverage over Gulf nations through intimidation. The officials stated that Iran's defence personnel remain at the "highest level of readiness" and stand equipped for all contingencies. "If confrontation becomes inevitable, the battlefield will be decisive," the officials stated, adding that the resolution would establish "who holds the power and who will have the final say". Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reaffirmed Tehran's preparedness to counter any US or Israeli offensive during a telephonic interaction with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Saturday. Araghchi stated that Iran stands equipped to protect its sovereignty, territorial integrity and national security, asserting that any hostility would meet a "decisive and proportionate response" from Iranian personnel. Additionally, Brigadier General Seyyed Majid Ebn-e-Reza, Acting Minister of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics, alleged that Tehran's opponents were resorting to psychological warfare. He noted that Tehran intends to leverage the impending threat to heighten defensive preparedness, reinforce deterrence and broaden its military capabilities. Trump had claimed on Saturday that he cancelled a planned military strike on Iran after Tehran, alongside other Middle Eastern states, requested time to conclude a prospective peace treaty. Through a post on Truth Social, Trump asserted that participating entities had settled on the "parameters" of a potential framework, which he stated provided for the "immediate, complete, and total" reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, alongside the termination of Iran's nuclear threat. However, Iran has flatly denied the claims, maintaining that no accord regarding the opening of the waterway has been reached. (ANI)
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