US, Iran near Hormuz shipping deal
Shafaq News- Washington/ Tehran
The United States and Iran could reach an agreement within days to restore unrestricted commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, senior US officials said on Tuesday.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC that Washington and Tehran could finalize the deal as early as August 4 or 5, noting that it would guarantee “freedom of movement” for commercial vessels without allowing Iran to charge transit fees, enabling hundreds of ships stranded in the Gulf to resume their voyages and easing pressure on oil markets and shipments of fertilizer, refined petroleum products, and industrial gases.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also reported progress but cautioned that no final agreement had been reached. He called the restoration of normal commercial traffic Washington’s immediate priority, describing Iran’s denuclearization as the “ultimate deal.”
The New York Times said Iran and Oman were close to completing a navigation plan that would route inbound vessels through Iranian territorial waters and outbound traffic along Oman’s southern coast. A US official, however, rejected that account, insisting Tehran would neither collect transit fees nor control which vessels could pass.
Iran, meanwhile, ruled out new negotiations with the United States. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei stated on Monday that Tehran would neither receive US delegations nor send representatives for talks, adding that discussions with Oman alone would not be enough to reopen the Strait.
Baqaei argued that no lasting changes to shipping arrangements would occur while US “plots,” the naval blockade, and military operations against Iran and its allies continued.
