Iran rejects US proposals on Strait of Hormuz as Washington enforces naval blockade

Tehran conditions for opening Hormuz

Iranian chief negotiator and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated that Tehran received several proposals from Washington through a mediator after Iran submitted a 7-day roadmap for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Ghalibaf affirmed that the era of unilateral demands is over and insisted the passage will remain closed until seven specific conditions based on the Islamabad Memorandum are fulfilled. Iran transmitted these formal terms to the United States last month through Qatari mediators. The requirements demand a cessation of hostilities on all fronts, the unfreezing of Iranian assets abroad, the end of the naval blockade on Iranian ports, and the immediate cessation of American interference in Iranian domestic affairs. The terms also require Washington to end military cooperation with Tehran's adversaries and cease all attacks against Iranian territory. Ghalibaf added that Iran determines its national security strategy based on actual adversary conduct rather than daily tweets or statements by American officials.

We are present on the military battlefield with all our forces and will face them with new surprises; at the same time, we use the tools of diplomacy to assert our superiority in the military field and enforce the rights of the Iranian people.

Washington stance and military blockade

The United States has reinforced its position across the region while rejecting Iranian maritime restrictions. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that the American naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is ironclad, asserting that no maritime traffic has succeeded in passing through the corridor. Hegseth stressed that preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon remains a vital US national security interest and that President Donald Trump maintains full military options if Tehran refuses to comply. On 3 October 2026, Trump stated while departing the White House for a campaign stop in Vandalia, Ohio, that he faces an imminent decision on whether to pursue an easy or hard path regarding military operations. Trump asserted that Iran has been decimated by recent actions and has practically given up on pursuing nuclear arms.

Iran wants to play with things like the Strait of Hormuz. They do not control it, we control it. They have been able to pass literally nothing through.

Regional strikes and Moscow diplomatic bid

Military exchanges occurred across the Gulf region alongside the diplomatic deadlock. Yemeni forces launched ballistic missiles toward Buqayq in Saudi Arabia, and several explosions were reported near Riyadh airport. In response, Saudi fighter jets struck military targets in the town of Abs, located in Yemen's Hajjah province. Alongside the regional strikes, Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev indicated that Moscow is willing to mediate between Washington and Tehran without compromising its bilateral relationship with Iran. Medvedev stated that trade between Russia and Iran grew by 20% over the past year, with roughly 90% of commerce among Shanghai Cooperation Organisation members now conducted in local currencies. Moscow also confirmed plans to construct a second nuclear power plant in Iran following the operational Bushehr facility and to develop the strategic Rasht-Astara railway connecting Iran to Azerbaijan as part of the International North-South Transport Corridor.