Washington: US President Donald Trump appears to be moving towards a possible way out of the conflict with Iran, but major disagreements remain between Washington and Tehran, particularly over the future of the Strait of Hormuz.
Recent developments suggest that Trump may be prepared to bring the war to an end even if the United States does not immediately secure a new comprehensive nuclear agreement with Iran. Instead, reopening the strategically important Strait of Hormuz and reducing the immediate military confrontation could become the main focus of negotiations.
The development marks a possible change in the way Washington is approaching the conflict. While the United States has continued to demand that Iran address concerns over its nuclear programme, the reopening of Hormuz has now become one of the most urgent issues for both sides.
Iran and Oman are close to completing discussions on a possible arrangement for shipping through the Strait. The proposed arrangement is expected to establish specific routes that commercial ships could use to enter and leave the Persian Gulf. However, Tehran has made clear that agreeing on shipping routes with Oman does not automatically mean that the Strait will be fully reopened.
Iran wants the United States to make several concessions before normal shipping can resume. These include an end to the US naval blockade, an end to military threats against Iran, compensation for damage caused during the conflict, sanctions relief and the release of frozen Iranian assets.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has also said that there are currently no direct negotiations between Tehran and Washington. Instead, messages are being passed through intermediaries. This suggests that although diplomatic contacts are continuing, the two governments remain far apart on several important issues.
For Trump, the Strait of Hormuz has become an important part of the effort to bring the conflict under control. The waterway is one of the world's most important energy routes, with a large share of global oil shipments normally passing through it.
Shipping activity has fallen sharply since the conflict began. Recent weekly ship movements through the waterway have been far below normal levels. Any agreement that allows commercial traffic to return could therefore have an immediate effect on global energy markets and reduce concerns about further disruption to oil supplies.
However, the question of who controls shipping through the Strait remains a major obstacle. The United States does not want Iran to gain permanent control over international shipping or impose charges on ships using the waterway. Iran, meanwhile, wants its security concerns and wider demands to be recognised as part of any agreement.
This disagreement means that even a technical agreement between Iran and Oman may not be enough to restore normal international shipping.
The nuclear issue is another major question. The latest developments suggest that Trump could be willing to separate the immediate goal of ending the conflict from the longer term question of reaching a nuclear agreement with Tehran. Such an approach could make it easier for both sides to reach a temporary settlement, but it would leave some of the most difficult issues unresolved.
Trump has recently indicated that the United States is relying heavily on economic pressure against Iran. He has described Washington as being partly involved in negotiations while continuing to watch the effect of economic pressure on Tehran.
Iran, however, appears determined to use its position over Hormuz to seek wider concessions from Washington. Tehran's demands go beyond the nuclear issue and include the removal of sanctions, financial relief and guarantees against further military action.
The wider region is also adding pressure to the situation. Iran has strong ties with armed groups in several parts of the Middle East, while tensions involving Yemen and other regional actors continue to create risks for shipping and security.
Oil markets are closely following every development. Any sign that Hormuz could reopen has the potential to ease concerns about energy supplies, while a failure of negotiations could keep pressure on oil prices and increase fears of a longer disruption.
For now, there is movement towards diplomacy, but there is no final peace agreement between the United States and Iran. The talks remain complicated by competing demands and a lack of direct communication between the two governments.
The coming days could therefore be important. If Washington and Tehran can find a compromise over Hormuz, it could provide a first step towards reducing the conflict. But if neither side is willing to make concessions, the dispute over the waterway could become another major obstacle to ending the war.
The immediate question is no longer only whether Iran will reopen the Strait of Hormuz. It is whether the United States is willing to offer enough concessions to make that happen while ensuring that international shipping remains open and that its concerns over Iran's nuclear programme are not forgotten.