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TEHRAN: Iran has intensified its rhetoric against the United States as attacks on commercial shipping and stalled peace efforts deepen uncertainty over the future of the war, with Tehran warning that the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz will remain closed unless Washington accepts its conditions. Mohammad Reza Naqdi, an adviser to the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, said in an interview with PBS that the US military had proved “weaker than what we perceived” during the five-month conflict. Naqdi said Iran had gained valuable battlefield experience during the war and claimed Tehran would continue to emerge victorious. “The longer this war lasts, the more experience we gain,” he said, arguing that Iranian forces had learned how to confront the US military through direct experience. His comments came as maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz dropped sharply. Shipping data showed only eight vessels were tracked through the waterway on Tuesday, below a 10-day average of about 12 and the lowest daily figure since August 5. Before the conflict, the strait typically handled around 130 to 140 vessels a day. The slowdown has heightened fears over global energy supplies because Hormuz is a crucial route for oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. The International Maritime Organization has previously warned of serious risks to vessels and seafarers operating in the area. Shipping attacks raise fresh alarm Tensions also spread to other maritime chokepoints. Four crew members were reportedly killed in a suspected Houthi attack on a cargo vessel in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, while two Yemeni rescuers were also killed, according to reports cited in the source material. The US military separately said an MH-60 helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles at a Panama-flagged cargo ship after the vessel allegedly ignored warnings linked to a blockade of Iranian ports. Maritime sources said the incident occurred off Pakistan in the Gulf of Oman. The attacks have added to concerns that the conflict could disrupt shipping routes connecting the Gulf with the Red Sea and beyond. Iran sets conditions for reopening Hormuz Iranian security official Mohsen Rezaei said the Strait of Hormuz would not reopen unless Washington agreed to Tehran’s demands, including the release of frozen Iranian assets and an end to conflicts across the region. Iran’s parliament is also preparing legislation that would restrict military and commercial vessels from countries Tehran considers hostile from entering the Gulf without Iranian authorisation. The proposed law is intended to strengthen Iran’s control over the strategically important waterway. US President Donald Trump, meanwhile, has continued to combine threats with suggestions that negotiations could eventually produce a settlement. He has claimed the United States has control over the Strait and warned Iran against further escalation. Oil markets have already reacted to the uncertainty. Brent crude rose 1.4 per cent to $88.91 a barrel, while US crude gained 1.3pc to $83.20. Pakistan seeks diplomatic space Amid the worsening security situation, Pakistan has continued diplomatic engagement with Tehran. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi visited Iran and met President Masoud Pezeshkian, with both sides stressing the importance of strengthening bilateral political, economic, trade, cultural and security ties. Pezeshkian praised Pakistan’s commitment to closer relations and said Tehran was ready to expand cooperation with Islamabad. Naqvi said his visit was aimed at following up on understandings reached between the two countries and accelerating implementation of existing agreements. With military rhetoric rising, shipping routes under pressure and negotiations at an apparent impasse, the Strait of Hormuz remains at the centre of a crisis whose consequences could extend far beyond the Middle East.