U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirmed Washington's rejection of Iran imposing any transit fees or dues in the Strait of Hormuz, which constitutes one of the sticking points in ongoing negotiations between the two countries, alongside Tehran's nuclear program and the conditions for releasing frozen Iranian assets.
اضافة اعلان
Regarding maritime traffic in the strategic waterway, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) announced on Tuesday the initiation of an evacuation plan for more than 11,000 sailors stranded in the Gulf due to Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz at the outbreak of the war.
This development serves as evidence of the implementation of post-war arrangements for the conflict that erupted on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched initial strikes on Iran, resulting in thousands of fatalities, primarily in Iran and Lebanon.
Last week, the United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to bring an end to the war in the Middle East. The MoU stipulates the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, which is vital for global oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies, after its closure triggered disruptions in the global economy and sent oil prices soaring.
Diplomatic Momentum
Following the signing, consultations mediated by Pakistan and Qatar commenced with the aim of reaching a final agreement focusing on the nuclear file and sanctions, within a renewable 60-day deadline subject to both parties' approval. However, substantial differences in the positions of both sides remain over numerous issues, starting with the arrangements for reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
"No country is permitted to impose transit fees or dues on an international waterway," Rubio told reporters shortly after arriving in Abu Dhabi at the start of a Gulf tour that includes the UAE, Bahrain, and Kuwait.
His remarks followed an announcement by Iran and the Sultanate of Oman on Tuesday that they would work toward an "agreement on the future management of navigation in the strait, and the associated services and costs," according to a joint statement issued at the conclusion of a visit by an Iranian delegation led by chief negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
For his part, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian declared on Tuesday during a visit to Pakistan that Iran "would have been destroyed just as Gaza was destroyed" during the war had it not possessed missiles, reaffirming that Tehran's ballistic program is non-negotiable.
Regarding the nuclear file, Iran announced on Tuesday that it would not permit the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to inspect sites that were bombed by Israel and the United States during the recent war and the war of June 2025.
However, U.S. President Donald Trump asserted the contrary, writing later on Truth Social that Iran had "fully and absolutely agreed to nuclear inspections at the highest level (to infinity!!!)."
Ambiguity still surrounds the fate of Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium following the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. Tehran has consistently denied Western accusations that it seeks to acquire atomic weapons, while maintaining its right to a civilian nuclear program.
An "Ill-Timed" Vote
The signing of the MoU generated optimism regarding a permanent settlement of the situation in the Middle East, reflecting positively on oil prices. North Sea Brent crude continued its decline on Wednesday morning in Asian markets, dropping 0.65% to $76.58 a barrel, after having surpassed $126 during the war.
Prices fell particularly with the gradual resumption of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, where the "Kpler" platform tracked the passage of at least 36 cargo ships on Monday, representing about a third of peacetime traffic, which averaged around 120 ships per day.
Amid the war’s impact on Americans' purchasing power, Washington redoubled its initiatives toward Tehran in a bid to quickly end the conflict. In this context, Washington announced on Monday the lifting of sanctions on Iranian oil—Tehran's primary resource. The U.S. Treasury explained that it would temporarily lift sanctions on the production, sale, and delivery of Iranian crude oil and related products until August 21.
Regarding frozen Iranian assets, Central Bank of Iran Governor Abdolnasser Hemmati denied on Tuesday Trump's assertions that the agreement obligates Iran to spend the released funds "exclusively to purchase food and medical equipment from the United States," while not ruling out the import of American products.
In a purely symbolic move, the U.S. Senate on Tuesday adopted a non-binding resolution previously passed by the House of Representatives, ordering the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the war with Iran. Trump reacted to this symbolic setback on his platform, Truth Social, denouncing it as an "ill-timed and meaningless" resolution, accusing senators of making his "mission harder" and providing "aid and comfort to the enemy."
Meanwhile, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun affirmed his rejection of Israeli occupation and foreign guardianships, coinciding with a fifth round of direct talks with Israel in Washington, which Hezbollah opposes.
Tehran has maintained that the cessation of the war must encompass all fronts, including Lebanon, which Hezbollah dragged into the conflict on March 2 when it fired rockets at Israel in response to the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the initial Israeli-American strikes.
AFP
