Secret negotiations on the brink of a turning point: New rules announced for the Strait of Hormuz

Official Tehran announced that the United States and Iran, following months of secret diplomacy, had made progress in reaching agreements on most of the disputed issues burdening relations between the two countries, but without any indication that a final deal was close.Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei stated that the negotiations were moving in a positive direction, but stressed that this did not mean the process was nearing completion or that a final document would soon be signed.Baghaei also clarified the role of mediators, emphasizing that Pakistan is the official and primary mediator between Iran and the United States throughout the process, while several other regional countries play only a supporting role.He denied media reports about a visit by the Emir of Qatar to Tehran, stating instead that the deputy secretary of Qatar&rsquo;s Supreme National Security Council had visited as part of diplomatic consultations.According to him, the nuclear issue is currently not part of the talks, as the negotiations are focused on stabilization efforts and ending military hostilities in the region.Regarding future steps, Baghaei said that no new visits by delegations between Iran and Pakistan are currently planned, although such visits remain possible should additional consultations become necessary.In a separate segment on regional security, Iran and Oman are working on drafting a joint protocol for the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.Esmail Baghaei emphasized that the management of the strait is an issue that concerns only the coastal states, revealing that Iran and Oman are already jointly preparing a protocol for the safe transit of vessels.He explicitly stressed that no traditional tolls would be charged in the Strait of Hormuz, but added that it is entirely natural for mandatory fees and service charges to be introduced for the protection of the area and for any services provided to commercial fleets.

Secret negotiations on the brink of a turning point: New rules announced for the Strait of Hormuz

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