- Washington Reportedly Wants Hormuz Issue Kept Separate from Nuclear Negotiations
NEW YORK: The United States is seeking to revive negotiations with Iran over Tehran’s nuclear programme, with the Trump administration reportedly pushing for future talks to focus primarily on nuclear issues rather than the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, CNN reported.
According to the report, US administration officials have privately conveyed to representatives of Gulf states that Washington wants to “refocus any future US-Iran negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear program” and avoid reopening negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran Links Nuclear Talks to Hormuz Dispute
Iran, however, has reportedly communicated to regional interlocutors that it would consider discussions on its nuclear programme only after the dispute surrounding the Strait of Hormuz is addressed.
Iranian representatives have also reportedly demanded the lifting of what Tehran describes as a US blockade of its seaports as part of efforts to resolve the broader confrontation.
Regional Security and Global Energy Concerns
The reported differences come amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran following the outbreak of hostilities on February 28.
In June, the United States and Iran, with Pakistan playing a mediating role, reached a memorandum of understanding aimed at an immediate cessation of hostilities across all fronts, including Lebanon.
However, tensions escalated again in early July, when the United States resumed large-scale strikes against Iran, accusing Tehran of violating understandings related to the Strait of Hormuz.
The strategic waterway remains critical to global energy security, with approximately one-quarter of global oil trade and around one-fifth of liquefied natural gas shipments passing through the strait.
Washington Signals Shift Toward Economic Pressure
Following the renewed confrontation, the US administration reportedly signalled a move away from sustained large-scale military operations against Iran, instead placing greater emphasis on economic pressure and sanctions.
The latest diplomatic efforts could therefore represent an attempt to establish a new framework for US-Iran engagement, although Tehran’s insistence on resolving the Hormuz dispute first remains a significant obstacle to the resumption of substantive nuclear negotiations.
BY: The Times Union
