The United States is seeking to persuade Iran to abandon plans to impose transit fees on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, arguing that the economic benefits Iran could gain from a comprehensive nuclear agreement would far outweigh any potential revenue from charging vessels, according to a report by Axios.
The report said both sides have given themselves a 60-day window to reach a comprehensive nuclear agreement. However, two weeks into that period, Washington and Tehran remain divided over the interpretation of provisions in the memorandum of understanding they previously signed, making the collapse of the preliminary agreement appear more likely than a final deal at this stage.
According to Axios, the United States and Iran reached an understanding last Sunday to de-escalate tensions in the Strait of Hormuz for one week following a series of reciprocal attacks, meaning the risk of renewed confrontation remains after the temporary arrangement expires.
Citing a U.S. official, the report said both sides agreed to maintain calm over the coming week to allow progress on all aspects of the memorandum in a negotiating environment free from military escalation. The official added that President Donald Trump had made clear that the United States would respond with greater force if further attacks occurred, weakening Iran’s position in the strait.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance said Wednesday that the American technical team was holding talks in Doha with Iranian, Qatari, and other representatives to maintain momentum. He described the negotiations as still being in their early stages but progressing well.
The report said Trump’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, met Tuesday with Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and other Qatari officials mediating between Washington and Tehran before meeting the Emir of Qatar on Wednesday in an effort to facilitate the launch of technical negotiations between the two sides.
Two regional sources told Axios that the meetings were positive and helped pave the way for the technical talks, although it remained unclear whether Witkoff and Kushner held direct meetings with Iranian officials.
According to the report, discussions in Doha focused primarily on the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s frozen assets, and the ceasefire in Lebanon.
Axios also reported that Iran’s attacks on several commercial vessels last week were largely prompted by the establishment of a new shipping lane through the Strait of Hormuz along the Omani coast, a move that angered Tehran.
Iran continues to publicly assert that it shares sovereignty over the strait with Oman and that both countries will jointly administer it and impose transit fees after the 60-day period outlined in the memorandum expires.
The United States, by contrast, maintains that any new arrangements concerning the strait—as an international waterway—must also receive the approval of Gulf states. Iran argues that the strait lies within its territorial waters and that while Gulf countries may express their views, the final decision rests with Tehran.
The report noted that this dispute was one of the main topics discussed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio during meetings with his counterparts from six Gulf countries in Bahrain last week.
A U.S. official told Axios that Gulf states are currently consulting on how the strait should be managed after the memorandum expires and that these discussions intersect with the ongoing U.S.-Iran negotiations.
The report further revealed that Witkoff and Kushner urged Iranian officials to reconsider imposing transit fees, arguing that doing so could jeopardize a broader U.S.-Iran agreement that would provide Iran with significantly greater long-term economic benefits.
According to a U.S. official, Washington’s message to Tehran was: “Think bigger.” The official said the revenue Iran could generate by freely developing and exporting its oil and other resources after the lifting of U.S. sanctions would be “a hundred times greater” than any income from charging ships to pass through the strait.
The official added that Washington wants Iran to view its economic potential within the framework of a broader nuclear agreement that would also include regional non-interference arrangements.
Trump said Wednesday that the United States had held “very good” meetings with Iran and that negotiations were progressing positively.
According to Axios, while Trump publicly ruled out a quick return to war, a source familiar with recent discussions said he had been deeply frustrated by last week’s Iranian attacks on commercial shipping in the strait.
The report added that Trump requested a briefing on available military options but ultimately decided to allow negotiations to continue. The Wall Street Journal was the first to report that he had sought such a military briefing.
In a separate development, Axios cited Al Arabiya as reporting that the United States and Iran had reached an understanding during the Doha talks regarding the release of the first tranche of Iran’s frozen assets held in Qatar.
A regional source said the funds amount to $3 billion and would not be transferred directly to Iran. Instead, the Central Bank of Iran would be allowed to use them to purchase humanitarian goods, with part of those purchases coming from the U.S. market.
However, U.S. officials denied that any such agreement had been reached, insisting that no frozen funds have been released.
The report also said U.S. negotiators informed their Iranian counterparts in Doha that Washington intends to continue restraining Israel and ensuring its adherence to the ceasefire in Lebanon.
According to a regional source, the United States considers Israel’s planned withdrawal from two pilot areas in southern Lebanon to be an initial step that could lead to additional withdrawals if implemented successfully.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X that the U.S. president had committed to restraining Israel, adding that if Israel ignored those commitments, Iran would “teach it a lesson.”
Axios
