Iran and the US say a Strait of Hormuz deal is close, but one or both would have to back down
CAIRO (AP) — Iran said Wednesday it is in the “final stage” of drafting an agreement with Oman over the Strait of Hormuz, and U.S. President Donald Trump has said a deal could be announced this week. That could potentially reopen the critical waterway, ease pressure on the world economy and help bring an end to the war.
But the agreement is likely to be contingent on the U.S. lifting its blockade on Iran’s ports. The Trump administration has previously ruled out any deal that would cement Iran’s grip over the strait, which would amount to a major loss for the U.S. and a break with global norms.
Iran has insisted on some measure of control over the strait, saying it will not go back to being an open international waterway, as it was before the war.
The U.S., along with Israel, launched the war on Feb. 28, citing various goals including toppling Tehran’s government and ending its nuclear program. Those have not been achieved, and the conflict has devolved into a fight over the strait as Iran’s assertion of control and attacks on shipping have ground traffic to a near-halt.
Closure of the strait, through which a fifth of the world’s traded oil and natural gas once passed, has driven up the price of fuel and basic goods, roiling the global economy. Trump is also under mounting pressure to end an unpopular war ahead of U.S. congressional elections.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmail Baghaei, said that the agreement with Oman is in the “final stage” of drafting, and that a joint statement will be issued “if certain parties do not obstruct this process,” apparently referring to the U.S.
Regional officials tell AP negotiators have finalized a draft
Iranian and Omani negotiators have finalized the draft deal to reopen the strait and await final approval from Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, two regional officials told The Associated Press on Wednesday. Khamenei is believed to have been wounded in the war’s opening strikes and has not been seen in public since then.
The officials, who were briefed on the negotiations, portrayed the potential deal as a temporary solution to the dispute over the strait. They said it is tied to an agreement reached between the U.S. and Iran in June that aimed at ending the fighting and reopening the waterway but ultimately collapsed.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private talks, said the potential deal will pave the way for the U.S. and Iran to resume negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear program.
Earlier, they had said the potential agreement would have ships enter the Persian Gulf through an Iranian-controlled route and exit through a route controlled by Oman. Service fees would be charged for providing security and preserving the maritime environment, the officials said.
The U.S. has said it is strongly opposed to any arrangement that would see Iran charge fees.
