US, Iran agree on new communication line to secure Strait of Hormuz shipping route
Photo: Washington and Tehran plan to ensure safe passage through the strait (Getty Images)
The United States and Iran have agreed to launch a special communication line. It will ensure the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, reports CNN.
The communication line was jointly announced by mediators of the talks in Switzerland - Qatar and Pakistan. The new communication channel is intended to help prevent incidents and misunderstandings at sea.
According to the memorandum, the safe passage of commercial vessels is guaranteed for 60 days. During this period, Iran has committed to doing everything possible to ensure that ships can freely, safely, and without charge pass from the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and back.
CNN notes that the Strait of Hormuz has been one of Tehran’s main levers of influence throughout the entire negotiation process.
On June 20, Iran’s military command had threatened to completely block this important sea route. Iran sought to respond this way to Israeli strikes on Lebanon and what it called Washington’s failure to meet conditions for ending the war.
Tensions were further escalated by US President Donald Trump. He threatened to place the strait under US control, pushing diplomatic negotiations to the brink of collapse.
US–Iran talks
On June 21, talks between Iran and the United States took place in Switzerland. Donald Trump’s sharp statements toward Tehran complicated the dialogue between the sides as the US president suggested resuming attacks on Iran.
These statements came amid Iran’s renewed closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The tense situation in Lebanon is also negatively affecting prospects for resolving conflicts in the region.
One of Washington’s key issues remains Iran’s nuclear program. Trump sharply reacted to remarks by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on uranium enrichment, urging him to “choose his words more carefully.”
