The United States must never threaten Iran again, the statement said, and must permanently end the war with Iran and its armed allies in the region. The US must lift the naval blockade of Iranian ports and withdraw its military from the area. It must "completely compensate" Iran for war damage, lift sanctions and "unconditionally" release frozen assets. The US, which wanted an acceptable deal on the strait first before ending the blockade, had no immediate comment. The strait, crucial to global supplies of oil and natural gas, was considered an international waterway before the war.