Strait of Hormuz, Not Uranium, Becomes Iran's New Talking Point with U.S.

Iran has strategically maneuvered the U.S.-Iran negotiations away from the contentious nuclear program and toward the critical issue of maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. This shift is a significant success for the Iranian regime, which calculated that blocking the strait offered the most effective leverage against the Trump administration. The move has compelled the U.S. to enter into a 60-day negotiation period.

This development deviates from the initial expectations when Israel and the U.S. launched military actions against Iran in late February. The primary objective then was regime change, with the hope that military strikes would lead to the downfall of the ayatollahs. There was an underlying assumption that new leadership would be more amenable to discussions on Iran's nuclear program and regional stability, including its support for groups like Hezbollah and the Houthi rebels.

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The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is the only effective way to put pressure on Donald Trump.

However, the ongoing negotiations are now intrinsically linked to the situation in the Strait of Hormuz. Following a memorandum signed on June 17, Tehran designated a new shipping route near its coast, demanding fees from vessels using it. The memorandum stipulated that Iran would commence demining operations within 30 days to clear the main shipping lane. The U.S. Navy, however, secured an alternative southern route near Oman's coast.

Despite the agreement, tensions remain high. Iran recently attacked three ships, a Qatari gas carrier and two tankers, one Saudi and one Liberian, with drones. In response, the U.S. launched missiles targeting Iranian positions, underscoring the volatile nature of the situation in the Persian Gulf.

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The movement of commercial vessels will be immediately launched, and considering the need to remove technical and military obstacles, within 30 days the Islamic Republic of Iran will begin demining.