Mediator Qatar says Hormuz agreement crucial for US-Iran talks to resume

Qatar, a key mediator in the stalled U.S.-Iran talks, said Tuesday that an agreement between Iran and Oman over the Strait of Hormuz would make it easier to resume negotiations to end the Middle East war.

After war broke out between the United States and Iran in late February, Tehran effectively shut the strait, which normally carries one-fifth of the world's LNG and oil during peacetime.

Iran and Oman, both coastal states bordering the strait, have for weeks been discussing the future of navigation through the waterway, with Tehran saying the geographical coordinates of the route envisaged by both countries "have been agreed upon."

"We are also awaiting an agreement between the Sultanate of Oman and Iran regarding the Strait, which would enable us to return to the framework of negotiations," Qatari foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari told reporters.

"The agreement over the Strait of Hormuz would make it much easier for us to resume the talks between the United States and Iran," he added.

A memorandum of understanding signed between the two sides in June effectively collapsed over management of the strait.

Earlier on Tuesday, Iran's top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said the strategic waterway will not be opened until the United States meets Tehran's demands, including lifting a naval blockade.

On Monday, Iran said that talks were "continuing in a serious manner" and views were being exchanged on the text of a "joint statement."

Tehran has been requiring vessels to seek permission and pay transit service fees -- a move opposed by Washington and several regional countries. It has been hitting vessels that try to transit the strait without requesting permission.

U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to bomb Oman if it "gets in the way" of a deal with Iran on Hormuz, and called for Tehran to surrender in a war that has become a growing political burden at home.

AFP