Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr, Iran's top security official, has rejected any full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz unless the United States meets several stringent demands. These conditions include a total US military withdrawal from the region and the payment of war reparations.
Zolqadr’s demand for a 7% transit toll
Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr, the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, is insisting that Iran maintain permanent strategic control over the Strait of Hormuz. According to the report, Zolqadr has issued a sweeping list of requirements for the waterway to return to normal, most notably the right to impose a toll of up to 7% on all transiting ships.. This demand is part of a broader set of conditions that includes the lifting of all sanctions against Iran and the release of all blocked and seized assets.
Zolqadr,a former deputy commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps,has made it clear that the Supreme National Security Council will not compromise. The official stated that the waterway will not be restored to normal traffic until the United States corrects its behavior .. This hardline stance suggests that Tehran views the strategic chokepoint not just as a transit route, but as a primary lever for geopolitical and economic leverage.
The Witkoff plan for an Iran-Oman shipping corridor
President Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, has been working to broker a temporary arrangement to prevent a total maritime shutdown. As reported by the source, the proposed deal would establish a shipping corridor managed jointly by Iran and Oman. This temporary corridor would require no tolls or special permissions, providing a much-needed breathing room for international commerce.
The proposed Witkoff arrangement includes a 60-day window intended to lead to a permanent end to the conflict. Under this plan, the United States would pledge to lift its naval blockade the moment the agreement is signed. However, General Hossein Mohebbi of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has already signaled resistance, stating that the reopening of the strait is subject to the specific mechanisms of the Islamic Republic and is not a matter for negotiation with Oman.
A missile strike on an Abu Dhabi National Oil Company vessel
The diplomatic efforts are being undermined by direct military action in the region. The United Arab Emirates recently denounced a hostile attack after a vessel belonging to Abu Dhabi's National Oil Company was struck by a missile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs has labeled this incident an act of piracy by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
This attack on commercial shipping has heightened fears of economic coercion and blackmail. The UAE has demanded that Iran stop these unprovoked attacks and commit to an unconditional reopening of the waterway. The incident serves as a stark reminder that even as diplomacy moves forward, the threat of kinetic warfare remains a constant factor in the Persian Gulf.
Will the US accept the terms of the Supreme National Security Council?
Several critical questions remain regarding the viability of the current diplomatic push.. It is currently unknown if the Trump administration will be willing to pay war reparations or accept the 7% toll demanded by Zolqadr. Furthermore, it remains unverified whether the US will actually follow through on its promise to lift the naval blockade if a deal is reached, or if the threat of resuming strikes on Iranian energy sites will ultimately derail the Witkoff proposal.
With maritime traffic currently operating at less than 10% of pre-war levels, the stakes for a successful negotiation are immense. The combination of Iran's maximalist demands and the ongoing threat of missile strikes suggests that a full and stable reopening of the Strait of Hormuz remains a distant prospect.
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