Iran has doubled down on its closure of the Strait of Hormuz, with the country’s top negotiator declaring the vital waterway will stay shut until the United States fulfills every condition laid out in a now-collapsed interim agreement.

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, who also leads Iran’s negotiating team, made the announcement in comments to parliament on Tuesday, August 18. He listed the U.S. demands as: lifting the naval blockade of Iranian ports, removing all oil sanctions, releasing Tehran’s frozen assets, and ending military operations and threats against the Islamic Republic “on all fronts.”

The memorandum of understanding, brokered by Pakistan and Qatar and signed on June 17, was intended to halt hostilities and open a 60-day window for negotiations toward a final agreement. However, the deal quickly unraveled over disputes regarding control of the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump declared the agreement “over” on July 7, and Iran’s foreign ministry labeled it “suspended” a week later.

With the 60-day diplomatic deadline having expired on Monday without a permanent resolution, a senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran would now shift to a “fully offensive” posture. Qalibaf reinforced this stance, stating that Iran is prepared to use both diplomatic and military means to make the U.S. understand the consequences of its actions.

The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s traded oil passed before the conflict, has been effectively closed since Israel and the U.S. launched military operations against Iran on February 28. The U.S. Navy is currently enforcing a blockade that prevents ships from entering or leaving Iranian ports.

Ship Attacked Amid Rising Tensions

The heightened tensions were underscored early Tuesday when a vessel attempting to transit the strait was struck by an unidentified projectile, damaging its engine room and causing a crew casualty, according to the British military’s UK Maritime Trade Operations center. The Omani Coast Guard was assisting other crew members, and authorities were investigating the incident. It was not immediately clear whether the crew member was killed or wounded.

Trump Threatens Oman

Meanwhile, President Trump has reportedly threatened military action against Oman, which has been holding separate talks with Iran on a plan to manage commercial shipping through the strait. Trump told Fox News reporter Trey Yingst in a telephone interview that the U.S. would bomb Oman if it “gets in the way.”

On Tuesday, Trump himself insisted on Truth Social that “The Hormuz Strait is open and operating,” directly contradicting Qalibaf’s statement. He added that the U.S. naval blockade “remains in full force and effect” and that all naval mines in the waterway had been removed.