US officials arrived in Qatar for talks on the Iran war, but will meet with mediators, not Iranian negotiators. The lack of direct talks further complicates efforts to find a lasting end to the conflict and fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran is determined to assert control over the strait — Oman reportedly proposed a joint plan with Tehran to charge fees — but “every inch of the 24-mile-wide waterway is being contested in a test of wills and patience,” The Guardian wrote.
Within Iran, too, priorities are diverging: Hardline military officials are pushing for full control of Hormuz, while civilian leaders like President Masoud Pezeshkian are aiming to get access to billions in frozen assets, The Wall Street Journal reported.