Amid Strait of Hormuz talks, Iran publishes list of demands for US

The secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, laid out the country's key demands for the U.S. amid negotiations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday. Iran and Oman are engaged in ongoing discussions around this key waterway, which carries a significant portion of the world's oil supply and has been effectively closed during Iranian strikes in the Gulf region. In a message shared by state media, Zolghadr called on the U.S. to end its naval blockade in the key waterway, lift sanctions on Iran and pay out war reparations. Additionally, the Iranian official demanded the U.S. military withdraw from the country and cease attacks on Tehran's allies. "The Supreme National Security Council will never give up, whether in war or in negotiations," Zolghadr said in a translated statement reported by state media. Earlier Saturday, Vice President JD Vance expressed a positive view of the state of negotiations between Oman and Iran in an interview with Fox News's Kayleigh McEnany. However, he cautioned that the conflict was "not over." "We're in the middle of the game," Vance said. "We're applying a whole host of tools, diplomatic, economic, military tools, to ensure that we get the best outcome for the American people." Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reinforced this view of these ongoing talks in comments reported Saturday by semi-official Iranian news outlet Tasnim, saying they were "very close to an agreement." However, the Tehran official said the success of these negotiations is "contingent" on U.S. compliance with a memorandum of understanding signed by both sides in June.