The Strait of Hormuz: The Obstacle Hindering U.S.-Iran Negotiations

Regardless of the outcome, the United States and Iran have finally engaged in direct talks in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, aimed at ending the war launched jointly by the U.S. and Israel on February 28. The level of officials involved marks the highest since the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979 led to the severance of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

The U.S. delegation is led by Vice President Vance, with special envoy Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, assisting. The Iranian delegation is headed by Iran’s Parliament Speaker Al-Kalibaf and Foreign Minister Araki. The Chief of Staff of the Pakistani Army also participated in the negotiations.

Saturday night, Iran’s national television reported that three rounds of talks had already taken place, with another round possibly scheduled for Sunday, though no details were provided. Meanwhile, the White House stated simply that "negotiations are underway." As a third-party facilitator, an anonymous Pakistani official said: "The talks are progressing in a positive direction," but no images depicting the negotiation scenes have surfaced.

According to several sources, the Strait of Hormuz remains a major stumbling block in U.S.-Iran negotiations. At the outset of the war, the U.S. and Israel set their objectives as toppling the Iranian regime, destroying nuclear facilities, and dismantling ballistic missile infrastructure. Although Iran suffered heavy military losses, many observers believe these three primary goals have largely failed—despite Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu claiming on Saturday: "We have successfully shattered Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs."

Even more surprising, this war—which gradually lost its original objectives—has given Iran a powerful lever capable of shaking global energy markets: control over the Strait of Hormuz. A temporary ceasefire agreement brokered by Pakistan in recent days includes opening the Strait of Hormuz, yet the number of vessels allowed passage under Iranian approval remains extremely limited. Furthermore, following the ceasefire deal, Israel immediately launched massive airstrikes on Lebanon. Consequently, Iran has made the complete cessation of hostilities with Israel a prerequisite for reopening the strait. Additionally, Pakistan, which helped facilitate the temporary ceasefire, issued a statement clarifying that the truce in Lebanon is included within the broader U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement.

A statement released by the U.S. military on Saturday drew attention, announcing that two U.S. destroyers had crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday and initiated mine-clearing operations in this strategically vital waterway controlled by Iran. However, Tehran denied this claim. In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), the U.S. Central Command explained that the two warships were operating "within a broader mission framework aimed at ensuring the complete clearance of mines previously laid by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard in the strait."

Meanwhile, Iran’s state television reported that Iranian Armed Forces spokesperson Ebrahim Jafari “strongly rejected” these assertions. Jafari emphasized: "The decision to allow any vessel to pass through the Strait of Hormuz rests solely with the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran."

Why did Iran ultimately attend the negotiations? According to senior Iranian officials speaking to Reuters, Iran agreed to participate primarily because the U.S. had previously accepted one of Tehran’s key preconditions: unfreezing Iranian assets held in banks in Qatar and other countries—and Iran deemed it necessary to conduct deeper technical and expert discussions on this matter. However, a senior U.S. official involved in the talks denied this, stating that the U.S. action was directly linked to Iran's opening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Parsi, an analyst specializing in Iranian affairs at Washington’s Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, commented: "Iran has never before held such a strong position in negotiations with the United States. They clearly intend to fully exploit these advantages." The most critical leverage Iran holds is the Strait of Hormuz—the crucial strategic channel for oil supply, which has been effectively blocked since the conflict began, triggering a chain reaction of global shortages and rising prices. Beyond asset unfreezing, Iran has demanded a ceasefire in Lebanon, where Israel launched a large-scale offensive in early March, resulting in over 2,000 deaths.

Other parties involved in diplomatic mediation—Egypt, Turkey, and China—are closely monitoring these talks, with Pakistan coordinating with these nations. Pakistani Prime Minister Sharif emphasized the need to "establish a lasting ceasefire," noting this phase will be "challenging." He used an English idiom to describe the moment: "Now or never."

In Iran, internet access has been cut off. Local residents expressed concerns to AFP. One 30-year-old resident, speaking anonymously, said: "We shouldn’t take Trump too seriously. He wanted to erase a civilization from the map, and just twelve hours later, he pushes forward a ceasefire agreement without any basis."

Trump, meanwhile, claimed on his social media platform "Truth": "It seems Iranians don’t understand they have no real leverage—they’re just extorting in international waters." He warned: "The only reason they’re still alive today is to negotiate."

Source: rfi

Original: toutiao.com/article/1862219769490432/

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