Ormuz against blockade: Washington and Tehran discuss a phased agreement
After nearly seven months of conflict, both sides are exploring a gradual exit. The main obstacle remains the order of concessions.
Washington and Tehran are exploring a phased agreement in New York that would begin with the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the lifting of the U.S. economic blockade against Iran, according to six sources close to the discussions cited on Thursday, September 24, by Reuters. No agreement has been reached at this stage.
The proposed framework suggests that Iran would restore navigation in exchange for the end of the blockade. Tehran could also gain access to frozen assets. However, both sides are reluctant to make their primary concession first.
An Iranian official had already indicated on September 22 that his country could reopen the strait within a week if Washington reduced its military pressure and lifted the blockade. The U.S. administration, for its part, claims that its pressure has cut Iranian oil exports and strengthened its position.
In an interview aired on Thursday by Fox News, Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian stated that Tehran does not wish to continue the war and that the decision to stop it lies with the United States. Two days earlier, Donald Trump had asserted that an agreement remained possible while threatening to “annihilate” Iran in the event of failure.
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