🔶 Details and ambiguities of the deal over the Strait of Hormuz, according to Reuters

According to Reuters, despite the optimistic remarks by Donald Trump, the president of the United States, that the negotiations are “going well” and that the strait will be reopened “very soon,” negotiators are still in talks.

A source told Reuters that “the devil is in the details,” and another source pointed out that only a post by Trump could upend the entire process; the pace of diplomacy, like this conflict itself, fluctuates and is unstable.

Donald Trump, the president of the United States, has announced the “opening” of the Strait of Hormuz at least four times since March, but each time, within a few days, fighting or blockage of the route has resumed.

The proposal currently on the table would hand Tehran control over ships entering the Persian Gulf via Hormuz. This would be one of the biggest concessions to the Islamic Republic since the start of the war, and Washington’s repeated insistence on not accepting Iran’s control over this waterway reverses that stance.

The unresolved point of contention is outbound traffic. Regional negotiators want regional oversight over the inspections and want any fees to remain, in name, “voluntary.” Iran wants to receive 5 to 7 percent of the value of the shipments; Oman has proposed 3 percent, and Washington wants zero fees.

This gap alone could disrupt the near-certain signing of a deal.