Iran says US accepted only some of its 7 cease-fire conditions, vows to keep Strait of Hormuz closed

Iran said it received a response from the United States to its seven cease-fire conditions but that Washington accepted only some of them, and called on the US to clarify its position on the remaining issues. Tehran also reaffirmed that it would not reopen the Strait of Hormuz or enter negotiations until all conditions are met.

According to Iran's semi-official Fars News Agency on Sunday (local time), Mohsen Rezaei, secretary-general of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said the US had recently sent a reply to Iran's proposals but "accepted only some of the conditions while still showing an unclear stance on the rest."

"We consider the US response insufficient," Rezaei said, adding that Washington must first clarify the issues it has left ambiguous.

He said the US had contacted Iran over the past two months through three channels — Pakistan, Qatar and Iraq — and had asked those countries to relay requests for Iran to present a negotiating proposal.

In response, Iran transmitted its seven conditions to the US about two weeks ago and made clear it would neither open the Strait of Hormuz nor engage in negotiations until all conditions were fulfilled.

Iran had previously presented the US with what it called a "seven-day confidence-building plan" on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly last month, under which Tehran would reopen the strait within seven days if Washington fulfilled the conditions.

According to foreign media reports, Iran's conditions include lifting the US naval blockade, the immediate return of frozen funds, an exemption from sanctions on Iranian oil exports, and a halt to fighting on all fronts.

However, it has not been disclosed which specific conditions the US accepted. Rezaei acknowledged that Washington's response reflected some progress but said a clear position on the core issues was still needed.

Iran also made clear it intends to use control of the Strait of Hormuz as a central lever in negotiations.

"Security in the Persian Gulf cannot be guaranteed without Iran's oversight," Rezaei said. "Control of the Strait of Hormuz is a vital national asset and a source of national wealth."

He added that Iran's aim "is not simply to block passage and collect tolls, but serves far broader national interests."

The remarks revealed that Iran views reopening the strait not merely as a matter of restoring maritime traffic, but as a negotiating tool to secure sanctions relief and security guarantees.

Rezaei also said Iran's approach to diplomacy with the US must differ from the past.

"We have held three rounds of negotiations, but each time the US abandoned the talks and attacked Iran," he said. "We must naturally take a different diplomatic approach with a party that unilaterally walks away from agreements after signing them."

He went on to say that "the US is trying to find a way out of its current predicament but is failing because it does not understand Iran's immense strength."

Rezaei also said Iran would decide when the war ends.

"The end of the war rests in the hands of the Iranian people," he said. "We will never stop resisting and defending ourselves until our rights are recognized and the US concedes them."