AILSA CHANG, HOST:
The Iranian Parliament is reviewing an agreement between Iran and Oman to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Oman sits on the southern side of this critical waterway that has been blockaded by Iran since the U.S. and Israel began their war in February. The closure of this strait has caused major disruptions in the world's oil supply. For more, we're joined now by NPR's Hadeel Al-Shalchi in Istanbul. Hi, Hadeel.
HADEEL AL-SHALCHI, BYLINE: Hello.
CHANG: Hello. OK. So first, what details do we know about this agreement?
AL-SHALCHI: So we know what the Iranian state media has shared so far. According to it, the agreement bans any U.S. or Israeli ships from moving through the strait. Iran will charge a fee of up to 7% of the value of a ship's cargo and impose a fine up to 20% of that value if these conditions are broken. Iran said it will have control over guiding navigation, monitoring vessel traffic and the security of the Persian Gulf.
And then, Iranian state media also quoted a source at the Foreign Ministry saying that ships will enter the Strait of Hormuz through the northern corridor of the strait, near the Iranian coast, and they will exit through the southern corridor, near the Omani coast. They also put a deadline on this agreement. They didn't mention the duration, but earlier, the Turkish foreign minister who's been assisting in the mediation said it could be 60 days. We're yet to hear from the Omanis though.
CHANG: And where does the U.S. stand in all of this?
AL-SHALCHI: Well, I mean, we know that on Tuesday, President Trump said that a deal may be reached this week, that the U.S. was in talks with Iran and mediators, but we haven't heard any details officially from the U.S. yet. The U.S. has been strongly opposed to any fees imposed on ships like this agreement would have - ships moving through the strait. And that was this case before the U.S. and Israel launched their attacks almost six months ago.
So a U.S. official who was not authorized to speak on the record told NPR today that the U.S. is disputing the Iranian characterization of the agreement. The official said that any temporary routes will be without impediments, meaning no approvals or permissions and no tolls or charges.
CHANG: Oh, that's interesting, that discrepancy. OK, so what have Gulf countries said so far about this agreement?
AL-SHALCHI: Right. So Gulf countries and Jordan have been at the receiving end of Iran's retaliation to U.S. strikes - you know, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the Emirates, Bahrain. They've all had to intercept missiles coming from Iran targeting U.S. bases in their countries. U.S. service members have been killed in the Gulf and Jordan during those attacks in the past six months. So for many Gulf countries, their view is cautious and they're pushing de-escalation.
A diplomat from a Gulf state, who asked NPR not to use their name due to the sensitivity of the discussions, said that Gulf countries are encouraging all sides to agree on this deal as an interim agreement that would de-escalate tensions in the region, though they're super worried that if there is a new escalation, as Trump has threatened, their vital oil infrastructure could be targeted by Iranian drone and missiles inflicting catastrophic damage.
CHANG: Well, there have been attacks on another choke point that is also used for oil transportation, right? What do we know about that?
AL-SHALCHI: Right. So a couple of weeks ago, the Iranian-backed Yemeni Houthis declared a blockade on Saudi ships moving through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. That's the strait that connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. Saudi Arabia depends on this waterway to transport its oil after the disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. And the group has been attacking Saudi ships trying to make their way through that strait. They targeted two yesterday. But then also, on July 26, an unidentified drone struck a U.S. vessel near Egypt's Suez Canal, and so all of this is really sparking fears that the war is widening.
CHANG: That is NPR's Hadeel Al-Shalchi in Istanbul. Thank you, Hadeel.
AL-SHALCHI: You're welcome. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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