Iran's Mohsen Rezaei Denies US Talks and Demands Concessions for Hormuz

On November 11, 2026, Iran’s security chief Mohsen Rezaei said that Tehran is awaiting an explicit U.S. response to its conditions for peace talks, flatly denying ongoing negotiations as tanker fires raged in the Strait of Hormuz.

Rezaei’s remarks arrived just as diplomatic signals crossed paths in Washington and Paris. The Iranian security chief dismissed speculation of active talks as a “pure lie” designed to ease economic pressure and lower oil prices. The ninth-month conflict has severely disrupted global energy markets, driving up crude prices worldwide.

The core dispute centers on the sequencing of de-escalation steps. While U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters he sees “positive momentum” following an Oval Office meeting with Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Tehran insists on strict preconditions.

Mohsen Rezaei, Iran’s security chief, told Lebanon’s Al Mayadeen TV that the initial response from the United States was insufficient and deceptive, and that Tehran is still waiting for an explicit and clear response.

Iran's Mohsen Rezaei Denies US Talks and Demands Concessions for Hormuz — Photo: The Jerusalem Post

Iran’s conditions include lifting U.S. sanctions and the naval blockade, along with halting military operations on all fronts, particularly Israeli strikes in Lebanon. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi maintained that the critical maritime corridor could reopen within two days if Washington satisfies these demands.

Doha has attempted to bridge the gap with alternative frameworks. Qatar submitted a competing 48-hour, two-stage plan requiring International Atomic Energy Agency inspections on the first day, ahead of reopening the strait on the second day. Meanwhile, Iran has proposed deferring nuclear talks until after the blockade is lifted.

In Paris, where Group of Seven foreign ministers gathered, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio adopted a cautious stance. Rubio told reporters that Washington remains open to diplomacy but asserted that the devastating economic campaign currently removes the necessity for major combat operations.

Iran Demands US Concessions to end War and Reopen Strait of Hormuz. — NEWS REPORTER

Friction persists over the timing of reciprocal moves. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei defended Tehran’s phased proposal during a weekly press conference, questioning the fairness of U.S. demands.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei asked at a weekly press conference if it was unreasonable for Iran to demand that U.S. illegal sanctions and its naval blockade be lifted before negotiations start and that the war end on all fronts.

Maritime security deteriorated further as naval mines struck vessels in the eastern sector of the waterway. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reported that three oil tankers caught fire after navigating an unauthorized route, while the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency tracked separate projectile impacts near Oman.

Maritime monitoring firms recorded at least 37 attacks in and around the strait in November alone, marking the highest monthly frequency of maritime strikes since the start of the war.

The gap between American and Iranian demands leaves international mediators searching for a workable sequence. Analysts view the sequencing of who moves first as the primary obstacle to any lasting diplomatic breakthrough.

Whether upcoming indirect talks or further mediation by Qatari officials can reconcile these competing timelines remains uncertain as the conflict stretches toward its tenth month.