Amir Giti, a member of the editorial board of Iran International, said that Washington is seeking to strip Tehran of this pressure lever before the start of negotiations by conditioning any talks

Amir Giti, a member of the editorial board of Iran International, said that Washington, by conditioning any negotiations on the Islamic Republic’s cessation of attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, is seeking to take this pressure lever out of Tehran’s hands before the start of talks.

He added that U.S. officials believe the Islamic Republic should not be able to gain concessions by threatening shipping and the security of the Strait of Hormuz. Giti also said that, according to U.S. officials, economic pressures and the military option are still on the table and that additional measures will be announced in the coming weeks.