New fire in Strait of Hormuz: IRGC says tanker hit a mine, Araghchi insists on Tehran's conditions

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said that an oil tanker in a prohibited and dangerous area east of the Strait of Hormuz struck a sea mine and exploded, causing a fire on board.

At around 14:38 UTC on 2 November, a new fire was recorded near the southern passage of the Strait of Hormuz. The vessel closest to the scene was the marine supply and tug vessel SPM BHEEM. No official information has been given on the cause of the fire or on casualties.

Against this backdrop, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated: "Tehran's conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz are completely clear and transparent. If these conditions are accepted, the strait will be reopened and negotiations will resume. Otherwise, the current situation will continue and Iran will not make concessions."

Earlier, on Sunday, 1 November, the IRGC Navy announced that two oil tankers had exploded after hitting sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz, that one of them, a supertanker, was still burning after a powerful blast, and that both vessels had been left immobilised. According to the IRGC, both tankers had switched off their navigation and identification systems while trying to pass through an "unauthorised route". The statement did not name the tankers or give information on crews or casualties.

On 31 October, the IRGC also said a supertanker had struck a mine in a dangerous area east of the Strait of Hormuz, causing an explosion and fire on board, and called on ships to avoid unsafe parts of the strait and keep their tracking systems switched on.

Araghchi had previously said that Tehran's conditions include an end to hostilities in the region, including in Lebanon, the release of frozen Iranian assets, the lifting of sanctions on Iranian oil and an end to the US naval blockade. He said: "We have never closed the door to diplomacy or negotiations" and "The choice now rests with the United States." IRGC spokesman Hossein Mohebi had said Tehran's demands number seven and include an end to hostilities in Yemen.

The United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding on freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz on 18 June, but its implementation stalled over disagreements on security arrangements in the strait. The Strait of Hormuz links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman, and a significant share of the world's oil shipments passes through it.