Key facts
- Iran declared a 60-day deadline related to a June memorandum of understanding with the US is no longer relevant.
- The memorandum was intended to facilitate talks on lifting sanctions and addressing Iran's nuclear program.
- The agreement aimed to restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz to pre-war levels.
- Iran cited repeated US violations as the reason for the agreement's collapse.
- Negotiations between Iran and the US are at a standstill, though mediation efforts continue.
- Talks with Oman regarding the administration of the Strait of Hormuz are progressing.
Iran has stated that a 60-day deadline for a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the United States, signed in mid-June, is no longer relevant due to alleged violations by the US. Iran's foreign ministry spokesman, Esmail Baghaei, announced on August 17 that the window, intended for negotiations on ending the war and addressing Iran's nuclear program, had effectively closed.
The MoU, signed on June 18, also aimed to restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz to pre-war levels within 30 days and allow toll-free passage for 60 days. However, disagreements over the administration of the strait led to the agreement's collapse in early July, with Iran subsequently targeting several vessels in the waterway.
Baghaei explained that talks were meant to cover the lifting of sanctions on Iran and its nuclear issue, with the possibility of extension if no solution was reached within the 60-day period. He asserted that talks never began because the US violated the agreement weeks after its signing.
Hostilities in the region escalated following the MoU's collapse, with the US targeting Iranian infrastructure and Iran retaliating against facilities in neighboring Arab Gulf countries. While daily exchanges have decreased, sporadic attacks on shipping persist, with Abu Dhabi's Adnoc reporting recent attacks on its vessels in the strait.
Despite the standstill in direct negotiations between Tehran and Washington, Baghaei indicated that regional countries, including Pakistan and Qatar, are engaged in mediation efforts. He attributed the primary challenge to US "miscalculations and insistence on methods that have failed." However, Baghaei also noted that discussions with Oman concerning the future administration of the Strait of Hormuz are progressing, with both sides determined to develop a mechanism to safeguard mutual interests and international shipping considerations. This mechanism is expected to be finalized as part of a package including a roadmap and a joint statement with Oman.