U.S. says deal to reopen Strait of Hormuz is near

The United States says a deal to open the Strait of Hormuz could come as early as Tuesday night or Wednesday.

This comes as Qatari officials say diplomatic efforts to end the U.S.-Iran war are ongoing.

“There’s been progress made in those talks, but not finality yet. We’re hoping that will happen very shortly,” says Marco Rubio, U.S. secretary of state.

Rubio says the U.S. is involved in talks between Iran and Oman aimed at increasing maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. 

This important trade corridor off Iran’s coast is partially closed by the Iranian regime while a U.S. naval blockade persists.

Majed al-Ansari, Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesperson says Qatar, Pakistan and Oman are facilitating negotiations between the U.S. and Iran as well as are exchanging draft agreements between the two sides.

“Our focus right now is on avoiding escalation, reopening the Strait [of Hormuz] and reopening the door for diplomacy,” al-Ansari says.

The Qatari affirmation that talks are happening come one day after Tehran said they weren’t in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s assertion that they were.

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On Monday, Trump threatened escalation if a deal isn’t made.

“I want to give them every last chance before decapitation,” Trump says.

On Tuesday at a religious festival in Tehran, many rejected negotiations while some vowed revenge against Trump and Israel, saying only war can resolve the conflict.

Since the U.S. and Israel launched the first strike in February, international estimates suggest the number of Iranian civilians and soldiers killed ranges from 3,500 to almost 7,000, with tens of thousands more injured.

“Peace cannot be negotiated with someone like Trump. But if negotiations mean he packs up and leaves the region as quickly as possible, then there is nothing wrong with that,” says a resident in Tehran.

“We must definitely keep the Strait of Hormuz at any cost. We should never abandon it and we should never back down, even if they make harsh threats against us,” says another Tehran local.

Iran has said it is only in talks with Oman over managing a temporary route through the Strait of Hormuz.

Earlier Tuesday, a vessel was struck in the Strait of Hormuz near Oman, according to Vanguard Maritime Solutions. One crew member is missing.

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