Qatar Urges Iran to Reopen Hormuz as Tehran Drafts Conditions
Iran says it will prepare conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz after Qatari pressure, while the US keeps up sanctions and mine-clearing.
Diplomatic efforts to restore normal shipping through the Strait of Hormuz have shifted into a new phase, with Iran agreeing to draft a formal list of conditions for reopening the waterway. The move follows a visit to Tehran by Qatar's prime minister, who pressed senior Iranian officials to respect freedom of navigation under international law.
Qatar, a US ally that also shares a maritime border with Iran, has been a key intermediary alongside Pakistan. The two countries helped broker a June memorandum of understanding that established a ceasefire and set initial terms for shipping through the strait, which before the war carried about 20% of the world's oil supply. That agreement collapsed within weeks over disagreements about Iran's authority over vessel movements.
During Thursday's talks in Tehran, Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said he stressed the importance of upholding international legal norms in the strait. Later, Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said Tehran was preparing its conditions for reopening the waterway after mediators requested a clear list.
Rezaei said Iran and Oman had agreed in principle on a shipping corridor, with parts of the route in Omani waters and parts in Iranian waters. He added that vessels would use a designated central channel if the US met Iran's demands. In the past, Tehran's conditions have included lifting the US blockade on Iranian ports, removing sanctions, and paying compensation.
Washington and Tehran have not engaged in direct talks, with the US relying on economic pressure instead. US military commanders say American forces have cleared Iranian-laid mines from the strait and helped escort about 1,500 commercial vessels carrying nearly 750 million barrels of crude oil in recent months. Admiral Brad Cooper, head of US Central Command, said international shipping lanes are open and momentum is building.
Despite those assurances, ship tracking services estimate traffic through the strait at only 5% to 15% of normal volumes, as many vessels avoid the route due to Iranian threats. The UN's International Maritime Organization has recorded 70 incidents in the strait since the war began, resulting in the deaths of 19 seafarers.