Iran Conditions Hormuz Reopening on U.S. Compliance Amid Khamenei Unity Call

Tehran's Ultimatum: Muslim Unity and a Conditional Hormuz Reopening

Iran's Supreme Leader, identified in the statement as Mojtaba Khamenei, used a written message on Sunday to urge Muslim rulers, especially those in West Asia and along the Persian Gulf, to unite against what he called the "true enemy": the United States and Israel. The message marked six months since the start of the Middle East war and the Prophet Muhammad's birthday. The leader has not appeared publicly since his designation, and authorities have released no video or audio of him.

He accused U.S. leaders and the "false Zionist regime" of being fierce enemies of Muslim unity, saying they seek to sow discord in Iran and other Muslim nations. He also addressed Iranians directly, urging officials and citizens to set aside differences and warning that anyone who causes division among Muslims serves the enemies of Islam. The call followed a Friday statement in which he banned actions harming social cohesion and backed gradual de-dollarization and stronger domestic production after sanctions and a U.S. naval blockade hit living standards.

The same day, Iran confirmed that a joint agreement with Oman on reopening the Strait of Hormuz would not enter into force until Washington meets its commitments under a June memorandum. Vice Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the accord was agreed with Oman on transit conditions, but implementation is conditioned on U.S. compliance. If Washington does not comply, he added, Iran is in no hurry to open the strait and will maintain its defensive measures.

Iranian conditions include ending the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, lifting the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports and ships, and ending sanctions. Tehran also wants to charge vessels for navigation, security and environmental services, which the United States opposes. Before the war, about 20% of the world's crude passed through the strait between Iran and Oman; it has been closed since mid-July after U.S. strikes on southern Iran and a reimposed U.S. naval blockade.

Where the Hormuz Standoff Leaves Oil Markets and Gulf States

The two announcements are connected: the unity message and the Hormuz ultimatum both present Iran as the defender of the Muslim world while using the chokepoint as the main economic pressure point.

The Hormuz conditions are broader than a transit deal

The agreement with Oman was originally described as a jointly managed corridor for ships. The newly stated conditions make implementation contingent on the U.S. ending sanctions, ending the war and lifting its naval blockade. That is not a technical shipping arrangement; it is an attempt to force broader policy concessions from Washington. Because the U.S. also rejects Iran's proposal to charge transit fees, there is no near-term path to reopening unless one side changes position.

Oil markets face a prolonged rerouting problem

If the strait stays closed, buyers that relied on roughly 20% of pre-war crude flows will continue to seek longer and more expensive alternatives. The scale of the impact depends on how long the closure lasts and how much spare capacity alternative routes can absorb. Iran's statement that it is "in no hurry" to open the strait reduces the chance of a quick resolution and keeps supply uncertainty elevated.

The unity call is also about domestic control

The Supreme Leader has not appeared publicly, and his messages have combined foreign confrontation with internal discipline: no social division, gradual de-dollarization and higher domestic production. That mix suggests Tehran is trying to consolidate authority while explaining economic hardship caused by sanctions and the naval blockade, rather than simply signaling a policy shift.

Gulf states are in a difficult position

During the war Iran attacked U.S. military bases in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain, straining Tehran's ties with those countries. Oman has remained an interlocutor, but the new conditions mean Gulf neighbours face a closed chokepoint and a U.S.-Iran confrontation without a clear regional mechanism to force compliance. That leaves energy exporters and importers exposed to an unresolved standoff.

What Oil Buyers and Supply-Chain Planners Should Watch Next

For energy-exposed businesses, the binding constraint is not the Oman agreement but Washington's response to Iran's conditions.

• Oil and LNG buyers: build planning scenarios that assume the Hormuz closure continues while U.S. sanctions and the naval blockade remain in place, because Iran has explicitly tied reopening to their removal.
• Shipping and logistics operators: factor Iran's proposed navigation, security and environmental fees into route economics; with Washington opposed to those fees, no immediate transit resumption should be assumed.
• Companies with Gulf or Middle East supply chains: identify which crude, products or LNG volumes are exposed to Hormuz and test alternative sourcing or inventory buffers for a prolonged closure.
• Watch for: a formal U.S. response to Iran's conditions, any Oman-brokered implementation step, and whether Washington signals flexibility on sanctions or fees; these would be the first concrete signals that reopening is approaching.