Qalibaf: Toll-free passage through the Strait is limited to 60 days / Iran will not compromise on its rights

Pars Today – The head of Iran’s negotiating delegation stated that the agreement explicitly provides for toll-free passage through the strait for only 60 days, stressing that Iran will not relinquish its rights in the Strait of Hormuz under any circumstances, as these are Iran’s territorial waters.

According to Pars Today, citing IRNA, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, head of Iran’s negotiating delegation, said in a televised address to the Iranian people on Tuesday night:

"Until all five provisions of the agreement are fully established and finalized, we will not proceed to the next stage of implementing the remaining provisions."

The Speaker of the Iranian Parliament added that the first clause of the agreement explicitly states that Lebanon's territorial sovereignty, based on its officially recognized national borders, must serve as the fundamental principle. This means that the war must come to an end, all military operations must cease, and displaced people must be able to return to their homes. Under the agreement, the enemy, which had occupied parts of Lebanese territory and had effectively continued the war under the guise of a ceasefire, is required to withdraw.

Qalibaf went on to describe negotiation as a method of resistance, saying that this approach is fully consistent with the strategy of "revolutionary rationality." In this framework, negotiation does not signify compromise; rather, it means shifting the arena of confrontation from a costly military battlefield to the realm of tension management through diplomacy, without weakening the country's military deterrence.

He emphasized that negotiating with an adversary that has a history of violating its commitments requires entering talks from a position of strength. Military power, he said, serves as the legal and strategic backing of diplomacy.

Ending naval blockade on the night the MoU was signed demonstrates strength of both the battlefield and diplomacy

Qalibaf said the U.S. naval blockade has been completely lifted. He explained that following the initial signing of the memorandum of understanding, Iran secured a commitment from the other side that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, acting as a mediator to end the war, and U.S. President Donald Trump would announce the end of the naval blockade that very night.

He noted that the blockade was lifted well before the 30-day period that had been discussed, describing it as clear evidence of the effectiveness of both Iran's military leverage and its diplomatic efforts.

Iran will never back down on the Strait of Hormuz

Qalibaf stressed that, regarding charges for services provided in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran agreed that passage would remain toll-free for only 60 days. He explained that this concession was made at the insistence of the Persian Gulf littoral states, as a number of vessels had remained stranded in the region following the outbreak of the war and the closure of the strait.

The Speaker of the Iranian Parliament continued by saying that Iran is committed to restoring the Strait of Hormuz to its pre-war technical condition within 30 days, including removing safety hazards and clearing mines. He added that Iran will not charge for these services during the first 60 days.

He further noted that Clause 5 of the memorandum of understanding states that the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Sultanate of Oman will work together to determine the future administration and maritime services of the Strait of Hormuz in accordance with international law and the sovereign rights of the strait's coastal states. "This means that sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz rests with Iran and Oman," he said.

Qalibaf stressed that Iran will never retreat from its position on the issue under any circumstances.

"These are our territorial waters, and we will not allow the United States to create controversy or falsely claim that Iran has militarized the Strait of Hormuz," he said.