TEHRAN — Iran has ruled out any negotiations with the United States until its conditions are met, with Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Mohsen Rezaei warning Washington that the strategic equations surrounding oil and regional waterways have changed and that attempts to contain the consequences of the conflict will not alter what lies ahead.

In a post on X, Rezaei urged Tehran not to be distracted by contradictory messages from US President Donald Trump, who has alternated between rejecting negotiations with Iran and signaling that Washington is prepared to enter talks.

“Do not let the contradictory signals from the US president distract you—from ‘we will not negotiate’ to ‘we are ready for talks,’” Rezaei wrote.

“The equations concerning oil and the straits have changed. Struggling to control the consequences will not prevent what is coming,” he added.

He then drew a firm line on diplomacy: “Until Iran’s conditions are met, there will be no negotiations. Period.”

Rezaei’s remarks came after Trump said on Monday that he was ready to reach a swift agreement with Iran and that the United States was open to negotiations. Trump said Washington was “open and ready” to reach a deal with Tehran.

Tehran sets conditions

Iranian officials have repeatedly said that any future dialogue with Washington must address the circumstances that led to the current confrontation rather than simply return to negotiations without resolving the underlying disputes.

Iran’s primary demand is for Washington to fully end the war and halt its attacks against the country. Tehran is also calling for the lifting of the blockade on its ports, compensation for war-related damages, the removal of sanctions on its economy, and the unconditional release of Iran’s frozen assets held abroad.

A central Iranian demand is an end to US military intervention and the withdrawal of American forces and military bases from the region. Tehran has argued that the continued deployment of US forces around Iran, including military facilities in neighboring countries, represents a direct security threat and cannot form the basis for a sustainable regional settlement.

Iran has also called for an end to the use or threat of force against the country, the lifting of unilateral US sanctions and respect for Iran’s sovereignty and legitimate national interests. President Masoud Pezeshkian has similarly said Iran remains open to dialogue provided Washington abandons pressure and sanctions and does not seek to dictate terms through force.

An end to the war on all Resistance Fronts, including Lebanon, is another important condition for Iran to negotiate.

The Iranian position effectively links any diplomatic process to a broader change in the US approach to the region: an end to military pressure, removal of sanctions and the establishment of security arrangements based on regional cooperation rather than permanent US military presence.

Hormuz and oil become central to the confrontation

Rezaei’s reference to oil and the straits comes amid heightened tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important energy corridors. Recent reports indicate that commercial traffic through the waterway has fallen sharply amid the continuing conflict and security concerns. Reuters reported that only four commodity vessels crossed the strait on Monday, compared with a pre-war average of about 125 daily transits.

Diplomatic efforts involving Iran and Persian Gulf states to address maritime security and the management of traffic through Hormuz have also been postponed. Oman had been preparing to host regional discussions, but the meeting was delayed amid disagreements among Persian Gulf states over proposed arrangements.

The developments have also had a direct impact on global energy markets. Brent crude has recently risen above $108 a barrel amid concerns over supply disruptions, underlining the international economic significance of the confrontation around the region’s strategic waterways.

Trump signals openness; Tehran demands a change in US policy

Rezaei’s warning followed renewed statements by Trump that Iran was seeking an agreement and that Washington remained open to engagement. Trump has nevertheless insisted that any settlement must meet US demands, while recently suggesting that the United States could maintain a presence in Iran and benefit from its oil resources.

Tehran has rejected such an approach, arguing that negotiations cannot be meaningful while the United States maintains military pressure and seeks to retain a dominant security role in the region.

Against this backdrop, Rezaei’s message reflects a broader Iranian position that any return to diplomacy must begin with a change in the strategic environment surrounding Iran. For Tehran, that means an end to US military intervention, the withdrawal of American forces and bases from the region, the lifting of sanctions, and recognition of Iran’s sovereignty and security interests.

The message also underscores Iran’s view that the balance surrounding the region’s energy routes has changed, making the security of the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz a central component of any future political and security arrangement.

For now, Rezaei’s message leaves little ambiguity over Tehran’s position: Iran says it will not enter negotiations simply because Washington is ready to talk; the conditions for dialogue must first be created.

Iran's upper hand in Hormuz

The strategic balance in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz increasingly gives Iran significant leverage over one of the world’s most vital energy corridors. The Strait carries a substantial share of global oil and LNG shipments, and recent disruptions have demonstrated how quickly Iran-related tensions can reverberate through international energy markets. 

Iran’s leverage does not rest solely on geography. The ability to affect maritime traffic through Hormuz gives Tehran a powerful strategic card in any confrontation with Washington, particularly as Persian Gulf energy flows remain vulnerable, and oil prices have moved above $100 a barrel.

A recent understanding between Iran and Oman has also highlighted that the future of the waterway is closely tied to the conditions Tehran has set for the United States, reinforcing Iran’s role as a decisive factor in determining the security environment around the strait. 

At the same time, the United States is facing growing pressure on its weapons and munitions stocks. Recent U.S. assessments have acknowledged significant challenges in replenishing critical munitions, with industrial-base constraints limiting the speed at which depleted inventories can be rebuilt. A recent U.S. defense assessment warned that the health of the country’s munitions production and stockpiles is critical to national defense and that existing production capacity remains insufficient for rapidly restoring strategic reserves.

It therefore appears that the remarks by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council secretary were not a political bluff but rather reflected his assessment of his country’s capabilities and its capacity to inflict serious damage on a power that is now not only struggling to support its regional allies, but also finding it increasingly difficult to ensure the security of its own military bases.