Uranium and control of strait of Hormuz key as talks to end US-Iran war continue | US-Israel war on Iran
While Pakistani mediators continue to seek a permanent ceasefire between the United States and Iran that they believe is still achievable, future control of the Strait of Hormuz and Washington’s demand that Tehran export its stockpile of highly enriched uranium remain key obstacles.
Meanwhile, Israel and Iran fear that the other is about to launch a surprise attack on their territory; US President Donald Trump continues to insist that a new attack on Iran is an option available to him.
Pakistani interior minister Mohsen Naqvi met with Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi for the second time in two days in a bid to make progress in talks, and it is still possible that the overdue visit of Pakistani army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir to Tehran could signal progress.
Munir was supposed to go to Tehran on Thursday, but his arrival was postponed due to the lack of progress in negotiations and it is thought that Pakistan may try to appoint China as a mediator. Pakistani prime minister Shehbaz Sharif will travel to Beijing on Saturday.
Iran has emphasized that it is trying to postpone all talks on its nuclear program and focus instead on a permanent cessation of hostilities, which it hopes will include the gradual lifting of US sanctions, the unfreezing of frozen Iranian assets, compensation for the damages of the US-Israeli war and commitments not to resort to force in the future. The future management of the strategic Strait of Hormuz is a major sticking point between Pakistan’s plans for joint control under UN auspices
Tehran also proposed that the recently created Persian Gulf Strait Authority take responsibility for the canal, where tolls would be levied and ships would have to follow instructions from selected transit routes. Iran’s ambassador to France confirmed that Iran wanted Oman’s cooperation on the plan.
Five Gulf countries have written a letter to the International Maritime Authority, the global shipping watchdog, urging merchant and merchant ships not to join the PGSA.
The list of signatories includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. It does not include Oman, but Oman, which will be the authority of the southern side of the Bosphorus according to the proposal, is cautious about Tehran’s offer.
In their letter, the five states warn: “Iran’s alleged route should be seen as an attempt to control traffic in the strait by forcing ships to use a route within its territorial waters, which can be used for monetary gain through the imposition of tolls. Any understanding or recognition of Iran’s proposed route and the PGSA as an alternative would set a dangerous precedent.”
At the meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Sweden, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned: “Iran is trying to create a tolling system. They are trying to persuade Oman to participate in a tolling system on the international waterway. There is no country in the world that should agree to this.”
He again expressed his disappointment with Europe’s refusal to do more to keep the strait open.
Meanwhile, analysts argue that much of what U.S. administration officials say about the state of negotiations should be filtered through Washington’s need to drive down global oil prices.
Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told state media: “The focus of the negotiations at this stage is to end the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, and claims made in the media about nuclear issues, including the enriched material issue or the enrichment debate, are mere media speculation and lack credibility.”
Baghaei was referring to speculation that arose after Trump spoke on Thursday about Iran’s highly enriched uranium stockpiles. “We will take it. We don’t need it, we don’t want it. In fact, we will probably destroy it after we get it, but we won’t let them take it,” he said.
Russia has offered to buy the stocks, but Iran says it will reduce its own stocks.
