Iran rejects new Hormuz route, sets conditions for talks

TEHRAN, JUL 26 (AGENCIES): Iran has rejected any proposal for a new passage or alternative route through the Strait of Hormuz, setting three conditions for any future negotiations.
According to Al Arabiya, Tehran wants discussions to begin only after the Strait’s status is addressed first to affirm that it remains under Iran’s full control. The release of frozen Iranian funds should come next, while the nuclear issue should be taken up only afterwards.
Iran has also informed Pakistan that it is ready to continue negotiations in Geneva, Doha or Islamabad, Al Arabiya reported.
As per reports, the two-day talks between Oman and Iran on reopening the waterways around the Strait of Hormuz are making progress. An Iranian official said Omani officials left Tehran around noon local time on Saturday.
This weekend, the United States paused military strikes on Iran. At the same time, discussions between Oman and Iran on reopening the Strait appear to be moving in a positive direction, although regional officials cautioned that further negotiations would still be required.
The deputy speaker of the Iranian Parliament asserted the Strait of Hormuz would “never” return to pre-war conditions.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in a post on X said, “Day 149 of the war. Iran continues to hold full control over the Strait of Hormuz – without Iran’s permission, not even a bird can cross. Today, one ship tried to pass through an alternate route. It got hit.”
The IRGC also said it had stopped six vessels in the Strait of Hormuz after issuing warnings, saying this confirmed Iran’s full control over navigation in the area.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the United States of deliberately violating the memorandum of understanding (MoU) concerning the Strait of Hormuz.
US President Donald Trump has paused attacks on Iran to allow more room for diplomacy, the US ambassador to the United Nations told Fox News.
“He’s giving talks some space, he’s giving it a little bit of room,” Mike Waltz told the broadcaster on Sunday.
Waltz did not provide further detail on the nature of the talks, but there has been a weekend lull in the fighting between Iran and the United States.
The Pentagon paused bombing operations after 13 nights of escalating strikes and there were no weekend reports of attacks by Iran on its neighbors.