I a
says
Ho muz
will
eope
o ly
afte
US
accepts
its
dema ds,
while
Washi gto
seeks
u est icted
comme cial
shippi g.
(Do ald
T ump,
I a
P eside t
Masoud
Pezeshkia )
I a
has
made
clea
that
a
deal
with
Oma
o
a
ew
shippi g
a a geme t
fo
the
St ait
of
Ho muz
will
ot,
by
itself,
eope
the
st ategic
wate way.
Teh a
says
the
st ait
will
eope
o ly
afte
the
U ited
States
accepts
a
b oade
set
of
I a ia
co ditio s,
while
Washi gto
has
i dicated
that
it
is
p epa ed
to
lift
its
blockade
of
I a ia
po ts
o ce
comme cial
shippi g
esumes
without
impedime ts.The
competi g
positio s
have
eme ged
as
I a
a d
Oma
move
close
to
a
ag eeme t
o
a
ew
shippi g
p otocol
fo
the
St ait
of
Ho muz,
a
a ow
but
c itical
ma itime
oute
th ough
which
a
fifth
of
the
wo ld’s
oil
a d
gas
shipme ts
passed
befo e
the
co flict.I a ia
fo eig
mi iste
Abbas
A aghchi
said
Teh a
a d
Muscat
we e
“ve y
close”
to
a
ag eeme t
o
a
ew
a a geme t
fo
shippi g
th ough
the
st ait.
Howeve ,
he
made
clea
that
the
ag eeme t
with
Oma
would
ot
be
sufficie t
o
its
ow
to
eope
the
wate way.The
Islamic
Revolutio a y
Gua d
Co ps
(IRGC)
has
also
ejected
suggestio s
that
the
eope i g
of
the
st ait
is
simply
a
matte
fo
the
I a -Oma
egotiatio s.IRGC
spokespe so
Hossei
Mohebbi
said
the
eope i g
of
the
wate way
was
“co ti ge t
upo
the
U ited
States
accepti g
I a ‘s
co ditio s
a d
has
o
co ectio
to
the
I a -Oma
egotiatio s.”He
late
said,
“Whe eve
the
U ited
States
accepts
I a ’s
co ditio s,
the
St ait
of
Ho muz
will
ce tai ly
be
eope ed,”
acco di g
to
I a ‘s
Tas im
ews
age cy.
The
stateme ts
poi t
to
a
much
b oade
dispute
tha
the
tech ical
questio
of
how
ships
will
avigate
the
st ait.
At
the
ce t e
of
the
disag eeme t
a e
US
milita y
ope atio s,
sa ctio s,
I a ia
assets,
compe satio
fo
wa time
damage
a d
co t ol
ove
shippi g
th ough
o e
of
the
wo ld’s
most
impo ta t
e e gy
co ido s.
What
I a
wa ts
befo e
eope i g
the
st ait
I a ‘s
dema ds
exte d
beyo d
a
ag eeme t
with
Oma
o
shippi g
a a geme ts.
Acco di g
to
Al
Jazee a,
Mohammad
Baghe
Zolghad ,
sec eta y
of
I a ‘s
Sup eme
Natio al
Secu ity
Cou cil,
has
outli ed
seve al
co ditio s
fo
eope i g
the
wate way.
1.
A
e d
to
US
th eats
agai st
I a
Teh a
wa ts
Washi gto
to
stop
th eate i g
I a
a d
e d
what
it
sees
as
co ti ued
US
p essu e
agai st
the
cou t y.Fo
I a ,
eope i g
the
st ait
is
the efo e
li ked
to
the
b oade
secu ity
situatio .
Teh a
has
a gued
that
ma itime
a a geme ts
ca ot
be
sepa ated
f om
the
milita y
co flict
a d
the
wide
co f o tatio
with
Washi gto .
2.
A
e d
to
US
milita y
actio
I a
wa ts
the
U ited
States
to
halt
milita y
actio
agai st
I a
a d
its
egio al
allies.The
dema d
comes
afte
mo ths
of
co flict
i volvi g
US
a d
Is aeli
attacks
o
I a
a d
I a ia
etaliatio
agai st
US
i te ests
a d
bases
i
the
egio .Teh a ‘s
positio
is
that
a
etu
to
o mal
comme cial
shippi g
must
be
accompa ied
by
a
wide
eductio
i
milita y
co f o tatio .
3.
Withd awal
of
US
aval
a d
ai
fo ces
i volved
i
the
blockade
I a
has
also
dema ded
the
withd awal
of
US
aval
a d
ai
fo ces
i volved
i
the
blockade.The
p ese ce
of
US
fo ces
a ou d
the
wate way
has
become
a
ce t al
poi t
of
co te tio .
Washi gto
has
said
it
co t ols
the
blockade
a d
has
li ked
a y
lifti g
of
est ictio s
to
I a
meeti g
its
commitme ts.US
P eside t
Do ald
T ump
said
the
US
Navy
was
leadi g
the
blockade
a d
that
Washi gto
co t olled
it.”I
do ‘t
wa t
to
say
it
has
bee …
it’s
so t
of
ope
ight
ow.
We
have
a
thi g
called
the
blockade
headed
up
by
the
US
Navy,
a d
we
co t ol
it.
But
they
ca
always
shoot
somethi g
o
d op
a
mi e…
if
you
have
o e
mi e
sitti g
out
the e,
you
so t
of
mess
thi gs
up
because
people
do ‘t
wa t
to
take
thei
billio -dolla
boats
a d
accide tally
get
hit
by
a
mi e.
But
I
thi k
we’ e
doi g
ve y
well.
I
am
i volved
i
the
egotiatio s.
I
thi k
we
a e
doi g
fi e…
it
could
be
soo .”
4.
Compe satio
fo
damage
caused
du i g
the
co flict
A othe
majo
I a ia
dema d
is
compe satio
f om
the
US
fo
damage
caused
du i g
the
co flict.I a
has
i dicated
that
a
ag eeme t
o
shippi g
ca ot
be
sepa ated
f om
the
eco omic
a d
physical
damage
it
says
has
esulted
f om
the
US
milita y
campaig .A aghchi
has
specifically
said
that
US
compe satio
to
I a
would
have
to
be
add essed
befo e
the
st ait
could
eope .
5.
Lifti g
of
sa ctio s
I a
also
wa ts
US
sa ctio s
imposed
o
the
cou t y
to
be
lifted.Sa ctio s
have
bee
o e
of
the
p i cipal
tools
used
by
Washi gto
to
p essu e
Teh a .
Fo
I a ,
thei
emoval
would
ep ese t
a
b oade
eco omic
compo e t
of
a y
ag eeme t
to
e d
the
co f o tatio .
6.
U f eezi g
I a ia
assets
Teh a
has
also
dema ded
that
I a ia
assets
f oze
u de
US
sa ctio s
be
eleased.This
would
give
I a
access
to
fu ds
that
have
bee
est icted
as
pa t
of
the
sa ctio s
egime
a d
would
fo m
a othe
majo
eleme t
of
the
eco omic
settleme t
Teh a
is
seeki g.
7.
No
US
i te fe e ce
i
egio al
egotiatio s
The
IRGC
has
sepa ately
i sisted
that
Washi gto
must
stop
i te fe i g
i
egio al
egotiatio s.Mohebbi
said
eope i g
the
st ait
depe ded
o
“specific
mecha isms
a d
co ditio s”
a d
was
sepa ate
f om
the
egotiatio s
betwee
I a
a d
Oma .This
is
impo ta t
because
Oma
has
bee
playi g
a
ole
i
discussio s
ove
the
shippi g
a a geme t.
I a
appea s
to
be
t eati g
the
Oma
talks
as
a
mecha ism
fo
esolvi g
the
tech ical
a d
legal
aspects
of
ma itime
t affic,
while
i sisti g
that
the
U ited
States
must
sepa ately
meet
its
political
a d
milita y
co ditio s.
What
I a
a d
Oma
a e
egotiati g
I a
a d
Oma
a e
wo ki g
o
a
ew
a a geme t
gove i g
shippi g
th ough
the
St ait
of
Ho muz.A aghchi
said
the
p evious
shippi g
t affic
sepa atio
scheme
was
o
lo ge
acceptable
to
Teh a .
I a
is
the efo e
discussi g
a
tempo a y
oute
with
Oma
while
tech ical
a d
legal
questio s
su ou di g
a
pe ma e t
oute
a e
esolved.The
p oposed
a a geme t
is
aimed
at
allowi g
comme cial
shippi g
to
esume
while
add essi g
I a ‘s
co ce s
ove
how
vessels
e te
a d
leave
the
Pe sia
Gulf.Acco di g
to
Reute s,
a
p oposed
deal
could
give
I a
co t ol
ove
ships
e te i g
the
Gulf
th ough
the
st ait.
A
se io
I a ia
sou ce
a d
two
egio al
officials
we e
cited
as
sayi g
this
would
ep ese t
a
majo
co cessio
to
Teh a .Howeve ,
US
officials
have
epeatedly
i dicated
that
Washi gto
would
ot
accept
I a
co t olli g
access
to
the
wo ld’s
most
impo ta t
e e gy
t ade
oute.This
disag eeme t
ove
who
co t ols
shippi g
is
the efo e
o e
of
the
most
difficult
eleme ts
of
the
p oposed
a a geme t.
What
the
US
wa ts
Washi gto ‘s
positio
is
diffe e t
f om
Teh a ‘s.The
US
has
i dicated
that
it
wa ts
comme cial
shippi g
th ough
the
St ait
of
Ho muz
to
esume
without
impedime ts
a d
has
tied
the
lifti g
of
its
blockade
to
I a
fulfilli g
its
commitme ts.A
US
official
told
Reute s,
“The e
is
p og ess
betwee
Oma
a d
I a
o
the
st ait,
a d
we
expect
a
deal
soo .
O ce
the
deal
is
a ou ced
to
esto e
comme cial
shippi g
without
impedime ts,
the
U ited
States
will
lift
the
blockade
of
I a ia
po ts.”The
official
added,
“As
always,
US
actio s
will
co ti ue
to
be
pe fo ma ce-based
a d
tied
to
I a ’s
impleme tatio
of
its
commitme ts.”This
suggests
that
Washi gto
sees
the
eope i g
of
the
st ait
as
pa t
of
a
ecip ocal
p ocess.
I a
would
have
to
meet
its
commitme ts
befo e
the
US
takes
co espo di g
steps.
Washi gto
also
wa ts
u est icted
comme cial
shippi g
The
US
positio
ce t es
o
esto i g
o mal
comme cial
t affic
th ough
the
wate way.Washi gto
does
ot
appea
willi g
to
accept
a
a a geme t
u de
which
I a
has
u est icted
autho ity
to
decide
which
ships
ca
e te
o
leave
the
Pe sia
Gulf.The
issue
is
pa ticula ly
impo ta t
because
the
st ait
is
a
global
e e gy
chokepoi t.
Dis uptio
the e
affects
oil
a d
gas
shipme ts
fa
beyo d
I a
a d
the
Gulf
egio .
The
US
wa ts
I a
to
fulfil
its
commitme ts
Washi gto
has
also
made
clea
that
a y
co cessio s
would
be
co ditio al.The
US
official
said
Ame ica
actio s
would
emai
“pe fo ma ce-based”,
mea i g
Washi gto
would
expect
I a
to
impleme t
ag eed
measu es
befo e
the
US
follows
th ough
o
its
ow
commitme ts.T ump
has
also
li ked
the
b oade
egotiatio s
to
the
US
objective
of
p eve ti g
I a
f om
possessi g
a
uclea
weapo .The
St ait
of
Ho muz
co ects
the
Pe sia
Gulf
with
the
Gulf
of
Oma
a d
the
wide
A abia
Sea.
Its
st ategic
impo ta ce
comes
f om
the
e o mous
volume
of
e e gy
that
passes
th ough
the
a ow
wate way.Befo e
the
co flict,
the
st ait
ca ied
a ou d
a
fifth
of
the
wo ld’s
oil
a d
gas
shipme ts.That
makes
a y
p olo ged
dis uptio
a
global
eco omic
issue
athe
tha
simply
a
dispute
betwee
I a
a d
the
US.Whe
shippi g
is
th eate ed,
ta ke
ope ato s
face
highe
i su a ce
costs,
lo ge
outes
a d
the
isk
of
vessels
bei g
attacked
o
detai ed.
E e gy
p ices
ca
ise
as
t ade s
a ticipate
sho tages,
addi g
to
i flatio a y
p essu e.I a ‘s
actio s
a ou d
the
wate way
have
the efo e
att acted
i te se
i te atio al
atte tio .The
UAE
said
o
Satu day
that
I a
had
attacked
a
ca ie
affiliated
with
its
state
oil
compa y
with
a
missile
while
it
was
t a siti g
the
St ait
of
Ho muz.
No
i ju ies
we e
epo ted.
I a ia
autho ities
did
ot
immediately
comme t
o
the
allegatio .Abu
Dhabi
Natio al
Oil
Compa y
has
also
said
that
15
of
its
vessels
had
bee
st uck
while
t a siti g
the
st ait
si ce
the
begi i g
of
the
co flict,
esulti g
i
o e
c ew
membe
bei g
killed
a d
20
i ju ed.
Why
the
I a -Oma
deal
is
ot
e ough
The
ce t al
p oblem
is
that
I a
a d
the
US
appea
to
be
egotiati g
diffe e t
pa ts
of
the
same
c isis.I a ‘s
positio :
A
shippi g
ag eeme t
with
Oma
ca
esolve
avigatio
a d
ma itime
a a geme ts,
but
the
St ait
of
Ho muz
will
ot
eope
u til
Washi gto
accepts
Teh a ‘s
wide
political,
milita y
a d
eco omic
co ditio s.US
positio :
Washi gto
expects
I a
a d
Oma
to
each
a
a a geme t
allowi g
o mal
comme cial
shippi g,
afte
which
the
US
would
lift
its
blockade
of
I a ia
po ts,
subject
to
I a
fulfilli g
its
commitme ts.This
c eates
a
majo
gap
betwee
the
two
sides.
Fo
I a ,
eope i g
the
st ait
is
pa t
of
a
b oade
settleme t
with
the
U ited
States.Fo
Washi gto ,
eope i g
the
wate way
is
mo e
closely
tied
to
I a ‘s
impleme tatio
of
commitme ts
a d
the
esto atio
of
u est icted
comme cial
shippi g.
What
could
u lock
the
St ait
of
Ho muz
A
deal
would
likely
equi e
p og ess
o
seve al
issues
at
the
same
time.Fi st,
I a
a d
Oma
would
eed
to
settle
the
tech ical
a d
legal
f amewo k
gove i g
shippi g.
Teh a
has
said
the
p evious
t affic
sepa atio
system
is
o
lo ge
acceptable
a d
wa ts
a
tempo a y
a a geme t
while
a
pe ma e t
system
is
egotiated.Seco d,
I a
a d
the
US
would
eed
to
esolve
the
questio
of
milita y
activity
a ou d
the
wate way.
Teh a
wa ts
US
fo ces
i volved
i
the
blockade
withd aw ,
while
Washi gto
wa ts
assu a ces
that
comme cial
vessels
ca
move
safely
without
i te fe e ce.Thi d,
the
two
sides
would
have
to
add ess
the
eco omic
issues
aised
by
I a ,
i cludi g
compe satio ,
sa ctio s
a d
f oze
I a ia
assets.Fi ally,
the e
would
eed
to
be
ag eeme t
o
who
has
autho ity
ove
vessels
usi g
the
st ait.
This
could
p ove
especially
difficult
if
Washi gto
opposes
a y
a a geme t
that
gives
Teh a
effective
co t ol
ove
access
to
the
wate way.
Pezeshkia
sig als
oom
fo
egotiatio s
I a ia
P eside t
Masoud
Pezeshkia
has
i dicated
that
Teh a
sees
a
oppo tu ity
fo
diplomacy,
eve
while
mai tai i g
that
I a
will
ot
su e de
what
it
co side s
its
ights.I
a
post
o
X,
he
said:
“The
best
time
to
each
a
ag eeme t
is
the
cu e t
situatio .
O
the
path
to
peace,
we
will
ot
comp omise
o
the
ights
of
the
I a ia
atio .
The
gove me t’s
mai
elia ce
is
o
domestic
capacities
a d
the
people.
The
ecessity
of
a
compassio ate
app oach
towa d
the
people
|
People
a e
i
two
catego ies;
eithe
they
a e
you
eligious
b othe s,
o
they
a e
equal
to
you
i
c eatio .”Pezeshkia ‘s
comme ts
suggest
that
I a
emai s
ope
to
egotiatio s,
but
Teh a
sees
the
eope i g
of
the
St ait
of
Ho muz
as
pa t
of
a
wide
ag eeme t
with
the
US.Fo
I a ,
eope i g
the
st ait
depe ds
o
a
e d
to
US
milita y
actio
a d
th eats,
withd awal
of
US
fo ces
i volved
i
the
blockade,
compe satio
fo
wa time
damage,
lifti g
of
sa ctio s,
u f eezi g
of
I a ia
assets
a d
a
e d
to
US
i te fe e ce
i
egio al
talks.The
US,
mea while,
wa ts
comme cial
shippi g
to
esume
without
est ictio s
a d
expects
I a
to
fulfil
its
commitme ts
befo e
Washi gto
takes
fu the
steps.
It
also
opposes
givi g
I a
u ilate al
co t ol
ove
the
wate way.Oma
is
t yi g
to
help
the
two
sides
each
a
ag eeme t
o
shippi g
th ough
the
st ait.
Howeve ,
I a
has
made
clea
that
a
I a -Oma
deal
alo e
will
ot
be
e ough
to
eope
the
wate way.
