Iran has once again rejected Trump's claim that the Strait of Hormuz will be reopened, a development that highlights the depth of the lack of trust on the diplomatic front of the conflict.
The semi-official Fars news agency, close to Iran's Revolutionary Guard, reported, citing a source close to the country's nuclear negotiating team, that no agreement has been reached on reopening the Strait of Hormuz. The source stated that the strait will remain closed as long as the US continues its "hostile actions." Reports in Israeli media that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi approved a US-Qatar-backed deal dividing control of the strait between Iran and Oman were also dismissed as "false" by Fars. An Iranian military source emphasized that the vital waterway remains closed to any vessel that does not coordinate with the Revolutionary Guard.
This rejection is the latest in a pattern repeated repeatedly since the Memorandum of Understanding was signed in June. A fourteen-day process is underway between the parties to clarify the implementation timetable of the proposed framework, but even this process itself raises serious questions about the extent to which Iran's Revolutionary Guard is acting in concert with the diplomats at the table, with the hardline faction viewing the Guard as the biggest obstacle to an agreement.
The fact that Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Al Thani, in separate meetings with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and Jordan, called for the implementation of the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding, including the provisions guaranteeing freedom of navigation in the straits, shows that this diplomatic effort is still active. However, the repeated emphasis by Iranian officials that even if they accept the return of ship numbers to pre-war levels, this does not mean "free passage," shows that the definition of "open straits" remains fundamentally different for both sides.
The real significance of this recurring pattern of rejection for the markets is that this cycle between Trump's optimistic statements and the immediate denials from official Iranian sources has become a pattern that has been going on for months, and each time a similar uncertainty is reflected in oil prices and risk appetite. For those following oil and Middle East-related risk assets through Gate, the key question is whether the fourteen-day implementation schedule will translate into concrete steps, because all the "deal close" statements so far continue to be met with equally rapid official rejections from Iran.
The semi-official Fars news agency, close to Iran's Revolutionary Guard, reported, citing a source close to the country's nuclear negotiating team, that no agreement has been reached on reopening the Strait of Hormuz. The source stated that the strait will remain closed as long as the US continues its "hostile actions." Reports in Israeli media that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi approved a US-Qatar-backed deal dividing control of the strait between Iran and Oman were also dismissed as "false" by Fars. An Iranian military source emphasized that the vital waterway remains closed to any vessel that does not coordinate with the Revolutionary Guard.
This rejection is the latest in a pattern repeated repeatedly since the Memorandum of Understanding was signed in June. A fourteen-day process is underway between the parties to clarify the implementation timetable of the proposed framework, but even this process itself raises serious questions about the extent to which Iran's Revolutionary Guard is acting in concert with the diplomats at the table, with the hardline faction viewing the Guard as the biggest obstacle to an agreement.
The fact that Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Al Thani, in separate meetings with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and Jordan, called for the implementation of the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding, including the provisions guaranteeing freedom of navigation in the straits, shows that this diplomatic effort is still active. However, the repeated emphasis by Iranian officials that even if they accept the return of ship numbers to pre-war levels, this does not mean "free passage," shows that the definition of "open straits" remains fundamentally different for both sides.
The real significance of this recurring pattern of rejection for the markets is that this cycle between Trump's optimistic statements and the immediate denials from official Iranian sources has become a pattern that has been going on for months, and each time a similar uncertainty is reflected in oil prices and risk appetite. For those following oil and Middle East-related risk assets through Gate, the key question is whether the fourteen-day implementation schedule will translate into concrete steps, because all the "deal close" statements so far continue to be met with equally rapid official rejections from Iran.






