Illustration Tehran wants to charge fees for commercial vessels passing the crucial chokepoint for global oil and gas markets. Last week Iran’s FM was quoted as saying : “Our sword will always hang over the Strait of Hormuz“
President Donald Trump announced “major combat operations” against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting military, government and infrastructure sites.
Following the announcement of a two-week ceasefire, initial U.S.-Iran talks in Pakistan in April failed to reach a peace deal. Trump later announced the open-ended extension of the ceasefire and the continuation of a U.S. blockade until negotiations concluded.
On Sunday, Trump announced that the U.S. and Iran had reached a “great deal,” which he said would be signed on Friday.
Israeli troops won’t withdraw from Lebanon, Katz says
Following Sunday’s announcement of a memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran, Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Defense Minister Israel Katz issued statements saying Israel will not withdraw from any territory it has seized.
“Israel is not subordinate to the United States, and we are an independent and sovereign state,” Ben-Gvir said in a statement. “We must not withdraw from any territory that our fighters have occupied and cleared of terrorist infrastructure,” he added.
Katz said that he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are leading “a clear policy” under which the Israel Defense Forces “will remain in the security zones in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza indefinitely.”
“The area will be cleared of local residents and all terrorist infrastructure, above and below ground — including the houses in the contact villages that served as terrorist outposts — will be destroyed,” Katz said.
Netanyahu is yet to comment on the announced U.S.-Iran understanding.
Trump says oil will flow from Strait of Hormuz after deal is signed on Friday
President Donald Trump is trumpeting the “great deal” he has made with Iran, claiming it will bring “peace and security” to the entire region.
He also confirmed the deal will be signed on Friday, claiming that oil will flow from “both ends of the region” after the Strait of Hormuz is opened when the agreement is signed. The oil flow is linked to mine removal, he claims.
“With the opening of the Strait upon the signing of the Deal on Friday, for purposes of mine removal, oil will flow on both ends again for the Region, and the World!” Trump wrote on his social media platform.
But Tehran wants to charge tolls for commercial vessels passing the crucial chokepoint for global oil and gas markets.
Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency said the reopening would happen under undefined “Iranian arrangements”.
Last week Iran’s FM was quoted as saying : “Our sword will always hang over the Strait of Hormuz,”
What’s been agreed to, however, will likely remain contested until the deal is expected to be signed on Friday.
