US Denies Iran State TV Report of Deal to Reopen Strait of Hormuz

Iran's state television reported on Tuesday that Tehran and the United States have reached a framework agreement to restore shipping in the Strait of Hormuz to pre-war levels within a month. The report also claimed the U.S. would end its maritime blockade of Iranian shipping and withdraw troops from Iran's vicinity.

Following the report, oil prices fell by more than 5%. However, the U.S. denied the claims, with the White House issuing a statement on social media calling the report "purely fabricated."

According to Reuters, Iranian state television cited an unofficial draft memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the U.S. and Iran for ending the war. The draft is not yet finalized and consensus may not be reached. The framework for restoring passage through the Strait of Hormuz excludes military vessels and envisions cooperation between Iran and Oman to manage ship traffic. Tehran will not take any action without "specific verification."

“

As long as there is no consensus on all issues, we do not consider any agreement to have been reached.

The draft does not mention the U.S. demand for Iran to cease its nuclear program. This report is the latest signal toward reaching an agreement, despite starkly different public stances from Tehran and Washington. The terms outlined by state television do not meet all U.S. demands. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Monday that it might take a few more days, following President Trump's optimistic remarks last week about the war nearing its end. Key sticking points include reopening and managing the Strait of Hormuz, which carried 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) before the conflict, and dismantling Iran's nuclear capabilities. The specifics of the U.S. troop withdrawal mentioned by Iranian state television remain unclear. Approximately 15,000 U.S. military personnel are currently enforcing the blockade on Iran, with thousands of additional troops stationed at bases in Persian Gulf countries like Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain. U.S. Navy vessels carrying thousands of sailors and Marines regularly transit the region and dock in ports like Oman. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Iranian sources claim the nuclear issue will be discussed in a second round of talks, which may be difficult for some of Trump's core supporters. Trump has repeatedly stated that dismantling Iran's nuclear program to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons is a key objective of the war. Iran insists its program is solely for peaceful purposes. Earlier on Tuesday, Ali Bagheri Kani, deputy secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, told reporters on the sidelines of the first Moscow International Security Forum that reopening the strait remains a sticking point. "As long as there is no consensus on all issues, we do not consider any agreement to have been reached," he said. Despite ongoing peace talks, the U.S. launched a series of so-called defensive strikes on Tuesday against missile sites in Iran's southern Hormozgan province and ships attempting to lay mines. Iran's Foreign Ministry stated these strikes "severely violated" the ceasefire agreement that has been in place for nearly seven weeks.

“

severely violated