The United States has told Iran it will reject any changes to the current status quo in the Strait of Hormuz, warning that such a move would constitute a violation of the agreement between the two countries, Al Arabiya reported, citing sources.
The development came even as Qatar said indirect talks between the United States and Iranian delegations in Doha have concluded with "positive progress" on the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.
According to the latest report, source said that Washington considers Iran's attitude and approach towards the situation in Hormuz to be the first test of Tehran's commitment to the deal, with any progress on unfreezing Iranian funds conditional on Iran fully complying with the agreement's terms.
The warning comes after the latest round of indirect talks in Doha, where Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi announced the conclusion of discussions on implementing the memorandum of understanding (MoU) that halted the US-Iran war, with both sides agreeing to establish a communication channel to report and record violations of the agreement.
The sources had said the Doha talks also covered a new plan proposed by Oman on the Strait of Hormuz, with negotiating delegations returning to their capitals for consultations on the proposal, even as Iran maintained that the waterway falls under its and Oman's sovereignty.
ALSO READ: US-Iran Indirect Talks In Doha Focus On Frozen Funds, Hormuz, Crisis Communication And De-Escalation
The round had also yielded an initial agreement to release $3 billion in frozen Iranian funds, conditional on progress made at each stage of the negotiations, according to Iranian sources that informed the outlet.
However, a US official had reportedly told that no frozen funds have actually been released and none will be unless Iran meets the requirements set out in the MoU, with Washington retaining approval over how any released funds are used — a position that aligns with the latest US warning tying financial concessions to Iran's conduct on the Hormuz question.
The strait, a critical corridor for global oil shipments, has remained one of the most sensitive flashpoints in the fragile ceasefire, with the fresh US warning signalling Washington's intent to keep the waterway's current status unchanged as talks on the broader agreement proceed.
ALSO READ: US-Iran Indirect Talks Made 'Positive Progress'; Next Meeting After Khamenei's Funeral: Qatar
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