Iran claimed victory against the US and Israel and threatened to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed

The Iranian regime claimed victory in the war against the United States and Israel and heightened tensions by asserting control over the strategic Strait of Hormuz as one of the conditions for definitively ending hostilities.

The statement was made by Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, president of the Iranian Parliament and one of the regime's chief negotiators, who argued that Tehran achieved both a military and political victory because its adversaries failed to reach the objective that, according to their version, they had set when operations began on February 28.

The Iranian regime claims it defeated the United States and Israel

Qalibaf stated during a speech broadcast by Iranian state television that Iran won the military and political dimensions of the war.

According to the leader, the main objective of Washington and Israel was to provoke a regime change and end the power of the ayatollahs. Since that did not happen, Tehran considers that the conflict ended with a defeat for its enemies.

The president of the Iranian Parliament also described the memorandum of understanding reached with the United States on June 17 as a "document of honor and victory" for the regime.

Although he acknowledged that the U.S. Armed Forces were not destroyed, Qalibaf described the outcome as an "absolute defeat for the United States and the Zionist regime", a term commonly used by Iranian authorities to refer to Israel.

This stance is part of the narrative that the regime seeks to establish internally: presenting the confrontation as a demonstration of resistance and preventing the damages suffered during the war from being interpreted as a strategic defeat.

Iran uses the Strait of Hormuz as a bargaining chip

The main point of tension now is the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most important maritime routes on the planet and a crucial corridor for international oil and gas transport.

The head of the Iranian Army, Major General Amir Hatami, warned that Tehran will not allow the United States to regain the military position it had in the region before the escalation.

"Under no circumstances will U.S. bases be allowed to return to the previous situation, and Iran will never allow that to happen," he stated.

But the most significant threat was directly linked to Hormuz. Hatami asserted that the regime will maintain control of the strait as one of the conditions for ending the war.

"The sacred Strait of Hormuz is one of the conditions for ending the war; we will preserve it with all our capabilities," he affirmed.

In this way, Tehran has turned a strategic trade route into a tool of political and economic pressure against Washington.

Tehran demands the lifting of sanctions

The Iranian regime seeks to use its position over Hormuz to obtain concessions in a potential negotiation.

Among its main demands are the lifting of the blockade on its ports and vessels, the end of economic sanctions, and the possibility of resuming oil trade.

At the same time, it has conditioned the reopening of the strait on the fulfillment of its demands.

The maritime corridor is of extraordinary importance to the global economy due to the enormous amount of hydrocarbons that pass through the area daily. Therefore, a prolonged interruption could lead to increases in energy prices and affect global supply chains.

Hormuz, the new flashpoint between Iran and the U.S.

The strait has been closed since mid-July, following a new military escalation and the resumption of attacks against Iranian positions. The United States has also reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports and vessels.

The dispute has thus created a particularly delicate situation: the Iranian regime is trying to transform its ability to restrict transit through Hormuz into a strategic advantage against the United States.

While Tehran presents the outcome of the conflict as a victory, Washington maintains its pressure on the regime, and negotiations continue to be conditioned by the demands of both parties.

The reopening of the strait appears, in this context, as one of the main obstacles to reaching a definitive agreement.

For the regime of the ayatollahs, Hormuz is no longer just a trade route: it is one of the main bargaining chips to try to obtain economic and political concessions from the United States.