U.S.-IRAN TALKS FOCUS ON HORMUZ REOPENING ON U.S. HOLIDAY

Iran’s foreign minister and top negotiator were in Doha on Monday for talks with Qatar’s prime minister over a possible agreement with the United States to end the three-month conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, according to Reuters. The talks come as Washington and Tehran continue to signal cautious movement, while publicly avoiding claims that a final deal is imminent.

The Strait of Hormuz remains central to the negotiations because of its role in global energy trade. Reuters reported that the waterway carried about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments before the conflict disrupted shipping. The U.S. blockade on Iranian shipping and Iran’s control over passage through the strait have made reopening the route one of the most urgent issues in the talks.

The Strait of Hormuz remains central to the negotiations because of its role in global energy trade. Reuters reported that the waterway carried about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments before the conflict disrupted shipping. The U.S. blockade on Iranian shipping and Iran’s control over passage through the strait have made reopening the route one of the most urgent issues in the talks.

The reported framework includes steps related to safe transit through Hormuz, the lifting of the U.S. naval blockade, and follow-on nuclear negotiations. Reuters reported that a proposed memorandum includes a 14-point outline, with nuclear issues expected to be addressed during a later 60-day negotiation period. Key unresolved issues include Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile, sanctions relief, frozen Iranian funds, and the sequencing of any agreement.

President Donald Trump said over the weekend that there was no rush to complete a deal and that the U.S. blockade would remain in place until an agreement is reached, certified, and signed. Reuters also reported that Trump had said the framework of a possible deal was largely negotiated, but that the dispute over reopening the strait remained central.

The talks are being watched closely by energy markets, shipping companies, and governments that depend on Gulf energy flows. Oil prices have already reacted to signs of possible progress, but any return to normal shipping conditions would likely depend on verification, implementation, and whether both sides can move from a diplomatic framework to a signed agreement.

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