U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said an agreement with Iran would be difficult, while Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi tied full access to the Strait of Hormuz to an understanding with Washington.
In an Oct. 20 interview with Network18, Rubio said Washington would continue applying economic pressure to Iran. He separately urged Tehran to stop what he described as attacks on commercial ships in the strait. He cited what he characterized as Iran’s use of resources for weapons as a reason for the pressure.
Araghchi told Al-Iraqiya television on Oct. 20 that Iran would not fully reopen the strait to all shipping without an understanding with Washington. He said indirect contacts through Pakistan and Qatar were continuing.
The Iraqi News Agency’s account of Araghchi’s interview described restricted passage and special routes for Iraqi vessels. Araghchi said Iraq was bearing economic costs from the restrictions. Before the war, about 125 to 140 large commercial vessels crossed the strait each day, as earlier EconoTimes coverage of shipping near Hormuz reported.
Araghchi also described a conditional seven-day proposal that would provide for full reopening on its sixth day.
