US demands opening of Strait of Hormuz as key condition for talks with Iran

Iran has agreed to discuss aspects of its nuclear program with the US, said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. However, he said that Iran must open the Strait of Hormuz as a key condition for holding talks. According to his estimates, the second round of negotiations may last 30-90 days.

“These are, of course, very technical issues and I don’t think they can be solved in five days. It will require 30, 60, 90 days of expert panel meetings to agree on the details,” Marco Rubio said at a hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. According to him, the second stage of the negotiations is focused on disposal of highly enriched uranium.

Mr. Rubio clarified that the US administration is not offering Iran sanctions relief only in exchange for opening the Strait of Hormuz. Iran is under sanctions due to its nuclear activities. If they agree to waive these items, their obligations and compliance sanctions will be eased, the secretary of state added.

A truce has been in place between Iran and the US since early April, in exchange for the two sides to agree on a final peace deal. However, Tasnim news agency reported that Tehran suspended the talks with Washington after Israel resumed airstrikes on Lebanon. In turn, US President Donald Trump said that negotiations are ongoing.