Iran seeks an agreement for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, which will exclude warships of the US Navy from the maritime route, posing a severe challenge to a military presence that Washington has maintained in the region for more than five decades, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on Saturday, August 8.
This move comes while talks continue with Oman, which is mediating between Tehran and Washington to end the six-month war of the USA against Iran.
According to the WSJ, Washington has informed mediators that it will not accept Iranian restrictions or tolls for transit through Hormuz, one of several friction points that have delayed reaching a final agreement.
Despite the cost caused by the war, the leadership of Iran continues to press for the withdrawal of American forces from the Persian Gulf, a goal it has pursued for decades, reports the WSJ.
The newspaper cites a former senior official of American intelligence services, according to whom the result will likely be significant de facto control of the strait by Iran, regardless of the final outcome of the talks.
Draft law outlines Tehran's terms
Citing a report by Fars News Agency, the WSJ reports that draft legislation examined by the Supreme National Security Council of Iran would prohibit the transit of Israeli ships, as well as ships or cargoes connected with actions against regional allies of Iran.
Countries deemed responsible for damages against Iran will be obligated to pay compensation before transit is permitted, while navigation through the strait will fall under the authority of the Iranian government and military.
The WSJ notes that, according to mediators, these specific provisions are not included in the current draft agreement being negotiated by Oman.
Iran and Oman are close to an agreement on the arrangements that will govern Hormuz, with progress in talks and an agreement expected soon, an American official told Reuters on Friday.
«There is progress between Oman and Iran on the Strait and we expect an agreement soon», the official emphasized.
The same official stated that the USA will lift the blockade of Iranian ports as soon as an agreement is announced restoring commercial navigation through Hormuz without obstacles.
Analysts see de facto Iranian control
The WSJ cites analysts who argue that Iran has already acquired essential control of the strait, regardless of how legal terms are ultimately shaped.
Rosemary Kelanic, an analyst at Defense Priorities, stated that the USA has already been essentially displaced from the Persian Gulf regarding the ability to leverage its military power, while commercial shipping companies remain hesitant to pass through the region without assurances from Tehran.
The newspaper also describes how Iran created earlier in the war the Persian Gulf Strait Authority (Operation Authority of the Strait of Hormuz), requiring shipowners to register and pay for insurance coverage through that specific organization.
Washington responded with sanctions and the threat of imposing measures on any shipping company cooperating with the Iranian authority.
According to the publication, the American military presence in the Persian Gulf dates back to 1971, when Washington took control of a former British base in Bahrain, and subsequently expanded to approximately 30,000 troops deployed to bases in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
Iranian strikes against these bases during the war forced the Pentagon to redeploy its forces and rely more on facilities outside the Persian Gulf.
Tehran considers this shift a permanent strategic gain, of equivalent importance to its missile and nuclear programs.
The WSJ finally reports that Gulf states, anxious over the possibility of further escalation, are examining alternative routes via pipelines to the Red Sea and the Gulf of Oman.
Officials from these countries acknowledge, however, that these bypasses cannot offer real protection without a lasting peace agreement.
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