BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 12. US President Donald Trump’s claim that Washington has “total control” over the Strait of Hormuz could undermine ongoing diplomatic efforts to reopen the strategic waterway, according to Iranian analyst Abbas Aslani.
Aslani, a senior research fellow at the Tehran-based Center for Middle East Strategic Studies, said Trump’s statement contradicts Washington’s efforts to resume negotiations with Tehran.
“If the US already controls the strait, there is no real need for negotiations,” Aslani said.
The analyst noted that Oman and Iran are continuing talks aimed at restoring maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. He suggested Trump’s comments may be intended to reassure global energy markets, despite Washington’s continued pressure campaign against Tehran.
Aslani said Iran believes the United States must first fulfil its commitments before further progress can be made.
He added that Tehran does not want the Strait of Hormuz issue to be addressed separately, arguing that Iran’s concerns also include sanctions relief, the ability to export oil and ending the conflict.
According to Aslani, Iranian security official Mohsen Rezaei has shifted the focus of discussions from simply “reopening the strait” toward the broader issue of “ending the war”.
