US and Iran discuss phased deal to reopen Strait of Hormuz

…step-by-step agreement could provide a way forward, with Tehran reopening the waterway as Washington lifts its economic blockade. Such an arrangement could also potentially allow Iran to regain access to frozen asset. " One way forward would be to solve the crisis in stages. The first would be to end the blockade and reopen Hormuz, " he said on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. That would involve US President Donald Trump accepting another temporary fix, after an earlier understanding collapsed in July. So a central challenge facing the…

…official said. Former US negotiator Dennis Ross said he saw only a 30% chance of an agreement being reached before the vote, but that both sides may have stronger reasons to make a deal before than after the midterms. " The blockade is what's really squeezing the Iranians. It's strangling them, " Ross said. A deal before the midterms could reportedly benefit Trump, as reopening Hormuz could ease tensions in the Gulf, contain oil prices and help bring down politically sensitive US gasoline prices. Iran's…

…seeks a diplomatic off-ramp, Tehran is preparing for the possibility of renewed war with Washington, the Iranian official said, accusing the US of using the economic blockade and threat of force as tools of coercion. “ Our fingers are on the trigger. The Americans know what they need to do but, because of their excessive demands, the chances of diplomacy resolving this are extremely low, ” the senior Iranian official stated. Regional sources said Iran was prepared to move its demand for transit fees on vessels using the Strait of Hormuz out of the main agreement and place it in a separate document, as…