The newly appointed head of the Supreme National Security Council, the main national security body of Iran, Mohsen Rezai, announced this Tuesday that the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is contingent upon a ceasefire that extends to Lebanon and the Gaza Strip, as well as the lifting of the blockade imposed by the United States and the return of frozen Iranian funds.
In a message disseminated on his social media, Rezai emphasized that "Iran's message is clear: the Strait of Hormuz will not reopen until the United States ends the war and the blockade, releases the frozen Iranian assets, and accepts a ceasefire throughout the region, including Lebanon and Gaza."
The former commander of the Revolutionary Guard, who since Monday acts as secretary and representative of the supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Jamenei, reiterated that the strategic passage will remain closed "until all these conditions are met."
For its part, the United States Army has communicated on social media that it has launched "two missiles" against the ship 'Vela Nova', flying the flag of Panama, when it was attempting to cross the Persian Gulf and "violate the U.S. blockade against Iran by sailing towards an Iranian port."
In the same message, the Central Command of the U.S. Armed Forces (CENTCOM) detailed that its units have "diverted 55 merchant vessels attempting to circumvent the blockade, disabled three that did not comply with the regulations, and boarded two."
Likewise, the Secretary of Energy, Chris Wright, emphasized this Tuesday that, on average, "almost nine million barrels" of crude oil daily exit the Strait of Hormuz, in a statement published on social media in which he highlighted the coordinated action of the U.S. Army and its regional allies.