Iran’s Rezaei says no talks are under way and Hormuz stays shut until US demands are met, as Rubio urges nations to step up

Mohsen Rezaei, Iran’s top security official and an adviser to the country’s supreme leader, said no talks are under way with the United States¹. He dismissed reports of ongoing negotiations and of a planned meeting².

Rezaei said the Strait of Hormuz will stay closed until the US meets Iran’s demands². Iran has set conditions for reopening the waterway³.

On the same day, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged nations to “step up” on Strait of Hormuz security⁴. He called on other countries to help protect shipping from Iranian attacks in the strait^4,5.

Why it matters to investors

The two governments are giving conflicting accounts of where diplomacy stands. Iran set out its conditions for reopening the strait as President Trump signalled progress in peace efforts³, while Rezaei denied that any talks are taking place^1,2. Both positions are statements by the governments involved and are not independently confirmed in the coverage. Iran’s account comes from an adviser to its supreme leader¹, and the US account of progress comes from the president³.

The strait remains the central point of pressure. The war began in late February with US-Israeli strikes that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and Tehran subsequently restricted passage³. Commercial vessels have been pictured at anchor in the strait off Bandar Abbas⁵.

Rubio’s appeal for other countries to help protect shipping⁴ indicates that Washington wants other countries to share the task of securing the route while Iran’s conditions stand³. He urged them to “step up”⁴, and the call was directed at protecting shipping from Iranian attacks rather than at reopening talks⁵. Rezaei, for his part, has tied reopening to US concessions².

What to watch

The first signal is whether any talks are confirmed by Tehran. Rezaei’s denial¹ contrasts with the progress President Trump has described³, and the gap between those accounts is unresolved.

The second is the response to Rubio’s call. Whether other nations commit ships or other support to protect commercial traffic from Iranian attacks^4,5 would shape how much shipping can move without a deal.

The third is the content of Iran’s conditions. Tehran says the strait stays closed until the US meets its demands², and the terms it has set for reopening³ are the yardstick against which any future agreement will be measured.