Washington should accept Tehran’s conditions or face a deadlock after negotiations fail, Ebrahim Azizi told RT.
Iran will impose taxes on ships from ‘hostile’ countries crossing the Strait of Hormuz as compensation for the damage caused by the US and Israeli sanctions and attacks, Ebrahim Azizi, Head of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of the Iranian Parliament has said.
Speaking to RT on Sunday following US-Iranian talks in Islamabad that ended in deadlock, Azizi said Washington should accept Tehran’s terms because it needs an agreement. “more than us,” and that many Iranians are unhappy that Tehran even entered into negotiations.
“When they need it, they have to accept the terms and conditions. If they don’t, we will do our job and go our own way. Nothing will change,” he added.
US President Donald Trump has refused to rule out returning “small” attacks on Iran after ordering a naval blockade and threatening to deny safe passage to any ship that complies with Tehran’s fees and laws for crossing the Strait of Hormuz.
According to Azizi, the draft bill being prepared in the Iranian parliament would specify that “Those who have caused us damage, those who are actually responsible for paying compensation, can only cross the Strait of Hormuz if they pay their damage and compensation.”
It refers to countries that have frozen Iranian assets “At the behest of America,” said: “You made a big mistake by stopping them. Now you also want to cross this waterway? Those days are over.”
Once approved, the law will require the government to establish a new one “management and control system” for the strait and the Persian Gulf, considering environmental safety, security, and services, Azizi said. Any entity that wants to enter will have to pay a tax “Considering Iran’s national interests,” special fees and procedures to be set later by the cabinet instead of parliament.
Tehran remains deeply suspicious of Washington’s intentions, even after the terms related to the ceasefire are negotiated, Azizi said. “We just don’t trust them,” He said, questioning how the country “raises pride and colonialism as a guiding principle” can be expected to honor its agreement.
