Tehran’s chief negotiator hardens his position as the US calls its blockade “ironclad” and both sides prepare for possible renewed fighting

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Iran said on Sunday that the Strait of Hormuz will not reopen until seven of its conditions are met, deepening a standoff that has disrupted global oil flows for months. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, Iran’s lead negotiator, was quoted by Nournews, as reported by Reuters, saying that the position of the Islamic Republic is “completely clear and firm.”

What Iran said. Qalibaf said the seven conditions are based on the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, a framework agreement signed by the US and Iran in June, according to The National. He accused Washington of sending proposals through a mediator that contradict what US officials say in public, and said the period of “dragging out the process and dictating one-sided demands is over.” The seven conditions were not itemized in the reports we reviewed. The National says Tehran has repeatedly demanded an end to the fighting, the lifting of the US naval blockade, the release of frozen assets and sanctions relief, and Oman Observer lists similar requirements.

Araghchi’s warning. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told foreign diplomats in Tehran that Iran hopes Washington will choose diplomacy but that “if they again move towards military solutions, we are more prepared than before,” according to Reuters. Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran’s focus at this stage is Hormuz and that restoring security in the waterway requires clear steps from the US.

The diplomatic track. At the UN General Assembly, Iran presented a plan under which the strait could be reopened within seven days if conditions were met. The US replied last week through Qatari mediators, Reuters reports, and Trump had earlier turned down the proposal. The National says backchannel talks continue through Qatar even though public negotiations have stalled, and that sources say Iran has offered to dilute its 60% enriched uranium stockpile and transfer it to a third party under IAEA-recognised procedures. Tehran is reportedly keeping Hormuz separate from the nuclear file.

Washington’s position. On Saturday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the US blockade of the strait is “ironclad” and running almost at prewar throughput levels at night, while Iran has “literally gotten nothing through,” CBS News reported. He said Trump has all the options he needs if Iran continues to “play games.” Trump has said the war should end after the November midterms. Two more carrier groups, with about 9,000 more troops, are heading to the region, according to a US official cited by CBS.

Preparing for fighting. A source in Tehran told The National on Saturday that Iran is preparing for a “major round of fighting” and that assessments inside Iran are that the war is resuming, though “the door to diplomacy remains open.” Qalibaf summed up the dual-track approach: “we will both fight and negotiate.”

The oil angle. Kpler data cited by CBS shows that Persian Gulf exports have recovered to about 21.8 million barrels a day, compared with a prewar 23.3 million, through alternative routes. That recovery depends on routes that are now being targeted, including Houthi attacks on Saudi energy sites. Meanwhile, the IEA says members have released 325 million of the 400 million barrels promised from strategic reserves.

Also on Sunday. Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani described Wednesday’s US withdrawal from Iraq as a victory, and said Iran-backed groups will continue to play a role there, The National reports.

Our analysis: The two public positions look incompatible: Tehran says the strait stays closed until its conditions are met, while Washington says its blockade is working and keeps adding forces. With both sides signaling readiness to fight and talks still open through Qatar, the key question is who moves first on sequencing: Hormuz, the blockade, or the nuclear file.

What to watch: a US response to the seven conditions, new tanker attacks, further US deployments, and oil prices on Monday.

Related: Iran readies wider response if the US strikes again · Tankers attacked again in Hormuz · Oil rises above $105
Sources: The National (4 October 2026, ✅ read in full); Reuters via Arab News and Canberra Times; Oman Observer; CBS News live updates (3 October 2026, ✅).