The United States has warned that reaching a peace agreement with Iran remains âextremely difficultâ as attacks on commercial shipping and disagreements over the Strait of Hormuz continue to undermine diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington would continue applying economic pressure on Tehran until it stops targeting commercial vessels in the strategically important waterway, according to Al Jazeeraâs live coverage on Wednesday.
Iran, meanwhile, has indicated that reopening the strait could be part of a proposed diplomatic initiative, provided Washington accepts its conditions. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the United States had agreed to the conditions outlined in Tehranâs seven-day proposal but had requested additional clauses, according to remarks reported by Reuters.
The conflicting positions underscore the challenges facing efforts to secure a lasting agreement and restore stability to one of the worldâs most important maritime trade routes.
Rubio described a peace agreement with Iran as extremely difficult to achieve, citing continued attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Washington has maintained that Tehran must stop targeting commercial vessels before meaningful progress can be made towards a settlement. The US administration has also continued to exert economic and military pressure on Iran.
Rubio said tanker traffic through the strait had recovered to more than 80 percent of its pre-war level, a figure that Iran has disputed, according to reporting carried by Al Jazeera and other outlets.
The disagreement over maritime traffic reflects the wider divide between the two governments over security, access to the waterway and the conditions required to end hostilities.
Iran has put forward a seven-day initiative intended to establish conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and advancing negotiations.
According to Reuters reporting published on October 21, Araghchi said Washington had agreed to the conditions outlined in the proposal but wanted to add further provisions.
Under the initiative described by the Iranian foreign minister, the strait would be fully reopened on the sixth day, provided the agreed conditions were followed. Further rounds of negotiations would then take place towards a final agreement.
The reported proposal does not mean that a comprehensive peace deal has been reached. Important details remain contested, and the positions publicly stated by Washington and Tehran indicate that substantial differences persist.
Iran has also called for measures addressing the US naval blockade of Iranian ports, sanctions and frozen Iranian assets. Tehran has presented these issues as important conditions for progress towards a settlement.
Iranâs nuclear programme has emerged again as a central point of disagreement in negotiations.
The United States has insisted that any comprehensive agreement must prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. President Donald Trump has called for zero uranium enrichment, while Tehran maintains that uranium enrichment is its right under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
The two countries previously signed a memorandum of understanding in June, but subsequent negotiations failed to produce a comprehensive agreement within the intended timeframe.
The nuclear dispute has complicated attempts to resolve other issues, including maritime security, economic sanctions and the future of the conflict.
According to Al Jazeeraâs October 21 explainer on the nuclear dispute, differences over enrichment, sanctions relief and the sequencing of commitments remain significant barriers to an agreement.
Pakistan and Qatar continue to play important roles in efforts to facilitate communication between Washington and Tehran.
Pakistanâs army chief, Asim Munir, was in Tehran on October 20, where he met Iranian officials as part of the broader diplomatic push, according to Al Jazeera reporting.
The mediation efforts offer a channel for negotiations even as public statements from both sides reflect continued disagreement.
However, the involvement of intermediaries does not guarantee an imminent breakthrough. The parties must still reconcile their positions on the nuclear programme, economic restrictions, maritime access and the conditions for ending the conflict.
The diplomatic impasse is also affecting global energy markets.
Oil prices rose on October 21 as concerns about Middle Eastern supply disruptions intensified and hopes for diplomatic progress weakened. Reuters reported that Brent crude rose by $2.06 to $110.85 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude gained $2.13 to $99.95 a barrel.
The price increases were also supported by falling US crude and petroleum-product inventories.
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical route for international oil and gas shipments. Prolonged disruption could increase transportation costs, complicate energy supplies and place additional pressure on countries dependent on imported fuel.
For Asian economies, sustained uncertainty around the waterway could increase import costs and add to inflationary pressures.
The latest developments indicate that diplomatic communication between the United States and Iran is continuing, but the path towards a lasting settlement remains uncertain.
Washington is demanding an end to attacks on commercial shipping and continues to press Tehran over its nuclear programme. Iran, meanwhile, is seeking acceptance of its proposed conditions, including measures addressing sanctions and restrictions on its ports.
Tehranâs seven-day initiative may provide a framework for further negotiations, but its implementation depends on whether the two sides can resolve their outstanding differences.
Until a workable agreement is reached, the Strait of Hormuz will remain a central concern for regional security, international shipping and global energy markets.
