A senior Iranian source and two regional officials told Reuters on the 5th that a proposed agreement between Iran and Oman would give Tehran control over ships entering the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz. This is considered one of the biggest concessions made by the region to Iran to date.
But the above source denied President Donald Trump’s claim that “an agreement to reopen the strait is about to be reached”, stating that there are still important details that need to be finalized.
"One regional news source told Reuters: 'Regarding some form of Hurley's control, concessions have actually been made in reality.'"
Another regional source said that there are still details to be determined regarding how ‘control rights’ should be defined. Negotiators from Gulf countries insisted that ship inspections should be overseen by regional countries, and any costs involved should be voluntary.
This senior Iranian source said that the agreement text currently on the negotiation table proposes Iran to control ships that enter the Persian Gulf via the Hormuz Strait. One of the main points of contention is whether Iran will have relevant powers over ships traveling in the opposite direction (leaving the Persian Gulf).
Regarding the disclosure of the proposed agreement, Washington has not immediately responded.
US officials have repeatedly insisted that the United States would never accept any arrangement that allows Iran to control this globally important energy trade route. However, Trump and senior officials of his government have recently said that an agreement to end the war they launched in February this year is imminent, and polls show that most American voters oppose this war.
