- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says no reconstruction fund for Iran discussed with GCC states during meeting in Manama, Bahrain.
- Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has rejected a new shipping lane through the Strait of Hormuz, warning that any vessel using it will be in danger.
How minesweeping in the Strait of Hormuz works
Navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a global energy chokepoint, has picked up days after Iran and US signed a framework agreement.
But experts said it will take some time for shipping traffic to return to levels seen before the war began on February 28. Shipping companies and insurers have warned that the strait remains highly dangerous, largely because of fears of sea mines.
Clearing mines is a slow, high-risk operation that involves finding and destroying the explosives using specialised techniques.
Ghalibaf denies claims Iran will use unfrozen assets to buy US goods
Iran’s top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, has said US claims that unfrozen assets will be used to buy US agricultural products are false.
“America falsely claims our unfrozen assets will buy their agriculture. Interesting,” Ghalibaf said on X. “The only crop we’re harvesting is what you planted: decades of mistrust. It’s organic, abundant, and homegrown. But apparently the US only exports GMO soybeans, broken promises and trash talks.”
Strait of Hormuz differences could jeopardize US-Iran talks
Iranians quickly realised the importance of the Strait of Hormuz at the start of the war, and how controlling the strait is a huge leverage over their adversaries, whether regionally or globally.
They have used it to force Americans to come back to the negotiating table.
According to the memorandum of understanding, there will be no fees for the next 60 days. However, there is no clarity on what happens after 60 days.
Iranians are clearly talking about a new maritime regime. But today, Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, said that whether you call it fees or tolls, it doesn’t matter, and there will be no charge, adding that there is no support for it from the GCC countries either.
Iranians are also firm that they will not go back to the pre-war status quo.
So, this is clearly a source of tension for the ongoing talks, and potentially it could undermine the talks or jeopardise them.
The IRGC has essentially said that it does not matter whether it is Omani or Iranian territorial waters – any ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz have to be in full coordination with Iranian authorities.
Iran is not taking temporary measures, but they want permanent control over the Strait of Hormuz. And that is something that the regional countries, GCC countries, and the United States are saying that they are fundamentally against.
Rubio says Iran is a greater threat to Europe than to the US
We’ve got more remarks from Rubio at his live media conference in Bahrain after meeting with GCC officials:
- Iran is a greater threat to Europe than it is to the US.
- Europe not allowing use of military bases undermines alliance between the continent and US.
Here’s more of what Rubio said
- Gulf countries shared some serious concerns with him.
- The US is just interested in whether ships are moving. If ships are not moving, that would be a direct violation of its agreement with Iran.
- Omanis said they are not in favour of a toll system for the Strait of Hormuz.
- What the US wants for Lebanon is a peaceful future.
No reconstruction fund for Iran discussed with GCC states, says Rubio
A reconstruction fund for Iran was not discussed with Gulf countries, the US Secretary of State also says at the live media conference in Manama.
Zero’ support from GCC for Hormuz tolls, fees: Rubio
There is zero support from Gulf countries for tolls or fees on the Strait of Hormuz, says Rubio.
Here’s a recap of the most recent developments:
- The US will not accept that Hormuz belongs to any nation-state, Rubio said while meeting with Bahraini leaders in Manama. He also said that the US wants a deal that doesn’t undermine security and prosperity for itself or its allies.
- Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani welcomed Oman’s announcement of a corridor for the safe passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, as he chaired a GCC meeting during Rubio’s visit to the country.
- A Lebanese military source told Al Jazeera that Israeli forces remain deployed in all the areas they recently occupied, making the statement after the Reuters news agency quoted a US State Department official stating that Israel had withdrawn from parts of the area.
Oman backs MoU, stresses no imposition of Hormuz transit fees
Oman has expressed support for the US-Iran memorandum of understanding, saying it is important for restoring peace and ensuring safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
In a post on X from the state news agency, Oman reaffirmed its responsibility as a coastal state to support maritime security under international law and stressed that no transit fees would be imposed in the Strait of Hormuz.
The statement was made by Oman’s foreign minister during the joint ministerial meeting between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and the US Secretary of State in Bahrain today.
Iran warns against Hormuz crossings without authorisation
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has warned against any crossings of the Strait of Hormuz without authorisation, saying vessels not complying “will be dealt with” as it criticised a new route through the waterway.
The future of the strait, a vital route for energy shipments that was in effect blocked by Iran during the more than 100-day war between it and the US, is a key sticking point in negotiations between the sides.
Tehran has said it plans to impose what it calls maritime service fees in the future, as opposed to tolls, while the US argues it is an international waterway and therefore passage should not be subject to charges.
“The only authorised route for passage through the Strait of Hormuz is the route announced by the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the IRGC, the ideological arm of Iran’s military, said on Thursday.
ALJAZEERA
