The key facts

  • Mohsen Rezaei named to Putin seven conditions from Tehran to the US for opening the Strait of Hormuz
  • The content of the conditions is not disclosed; according to Rezaei, there will be no negotiations until they are fulfilled
  • Rezaei handed Putin a message from Iran's supreme leader; the meeting was attended by Ushakov and Kostyukov

Tehran's seven conditions

Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Mohsen Rezaei said that at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin he named seven demands from Tehran to the United States, whose fulfillment is the condition for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. writes Gazeta.Ru citing RIA Novosti.

The supreme leader's message and the meeting's participants

According to Iran's state broadcaster IRIB, at the meeting Rezaei handed Putin a message from the supreme leader of the Islamic Republic, Mojtaba Khamenei; the contents of the letter are not disclosed. The meeting was attended by Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov and the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Russian Defense Ministry, Igor Kostyukov.

Context of the negotiations over the strait

Rezaei's statement adds to the picture of behind-the-scenes contacts: in late October the outlet Al Arabiya reportedthat Iran had conveyed to the US administration, through Pakistan, a proposal to resume the operation of the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for an end to the American blockade of Iranian ports. Now, according to Rezaei, Tehran's diplomatic position has been framed as seven conditions addressed to Washington — however, which specific points they include has not been officially disclosed, so it is not yet possible to judge the actual substance of the demands. Earlier, Putin stated that Russia remains a faithful friend of Iran.