Iran says it has reached an understanding with Oman regarding the Strait of Hormuz, but Tehran is refusing to implement the agreement until the United States fulfills commitments Iran says were made under the Islamabad memorandum of understanding.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Saturday that despite the understanding with Oman, Tehran continues to exercise control over passage through the strategic waterway.

“The Strait of Hormuz remains closed, and any vessel passing through the strait does so in coordination with Iran,” Gharibabadi said, according to Iran International, citing Iranian media.

Gharibabadi said Iran intends to continue what he described as its “defensive measures,” adding that Tehran is “prepared for any scenario.”

The Iranian official also addressed recent diplomatic efforts by Qatar and Pakistan, saying visits by officials from those countries were aimed at determining whether the sides could return to implementing commitments reached under the Islamabad MoU.

The latest Iranian claims come amid an escalating showdown between Tehran and Washington over the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy shipping routes.

U.S. Central Command has rejected Tehran’s assertion that it controls the strait, putting Washington and the Islamic Republic directly at odds over who has authority over passage through the waterway.

Meanwhile, mounting American pressure appears to be taking an increasingly serious toll on Iran’s already battered economy.

Uzi Rabi, an Iran expert and professor at Tel Aviv University, said U.S. sanctions and the blockade are steadily depriving Tehran of desperately needed hard currency.

“There is one thing that is undisputed. Iran has been forced in recent weeks to manage with fewer and fewer dollars,” Rabi told Israel’s 103FM radio.

“When it lacks hard currency, it cannot even operate its agriculture and industry,” he said.

Rabi described the sustained American blockade as “theoretically the best thing to do” if Washington remains committed to maintaining the pressure.

But he cautioned that even a devastating economic crisis does not guarantee the collapse of the Islamic Republic.

“Iran is a battered country,” Rabi said, noting that the regime continues to maintain alternative financial lifelines, including smuggling operations and cryptocurrency.

“The economic path also does not provide a 100% guarantee,” he added.

Nevertheless, Rabi said continued economic pressure could steadily drain the Iranian regime of its “vitality and power,” potentially helping create the conditions for its eventual downfall.

The developments come as the Trump administration continues applying intense pressure on Tehran while insisting that Iran does not have the right to dictate passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)