Kathmandu. Iran has rejected the interpretation that the Strait of Hormuz is about to be reopened over a technical agreement with Oman on a new maritime route, saying the decision to reopen the strait remains closed and that the decision to open it is a “completely different matter”.

Iran blamed US sanctions, treaty violations and hostile actions against Iran for the closure.

In an interview carried by Iranian state media IRIB, Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghai said the agreement with Oman was only a “technical precondition” for safe and secure maritime navigation. He said the decision to reopen the Strait of Hormuz could not be construed as a decision.

He said that the recent statements and warnings of US officials will not change Iran’s policy and that decisions will be made only on the basis of national security and national interest. “Iran will not be affected by any external pressure,” he said.

The Iran-Oman talks on the construction of a safe sea route began after a ceasefire agreement signed on April 8 and intensified after the June 18 agreement. The two countries are also discussing the creation of a new Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) as an alternative to the old northern route and the unsafe southern route.

He made it clear that there were no plans to return Hormuz to what it was before May 30, adding that the events of the past months showed the need for a new security mechanism. “A decision on the resumption of the Strait can only be made after full respect for Iran’s sovereign rights is assured,” he said. He said the ongoing talks with Oman were purely bilateral issues and no third party had any role to play in it.

Acknowledging that technical discussions with Oman were progressing positively, Baghai reiterated that it should not be linked to the decision to open or close the watershed. According to him, while the agreement on a new sea route is a necessary condition, it is not a sufficient basis for the resumption of the waterfront.

“Iran has issued diplomatic warnings by regional countries and some countries, including Bulgaria, the UK and Ukraine, against using Iranian territory or military facilities, referring to recent US military attacks on Iranian infrastructure and residential areas on the Kesham Islands,” he said.

Referring to a resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly on the definition of an attack, he said any country that provided an attacker with military bases, facilities or logistics, would be considered complicit, and Iran could exercise its right to self-defense.

Meanwhile, Iranian President Massoud Pezeskian described the 14-point Islamabad Accord as the future basis of Iran’s foreign policy. “The agreement is based on a national consensus and will help strengthen the security of Iran, the region and its partners,” he said.

Israeli media reported that negotiators were trying to reactivate the understanding between Iran and the US and get the Strait of Hormuz reopened. The diplomatic move comes a day after US President Donald Trump said Iran had agreed to open the strait and indicated it would not take major military action.