Iran to continue “managing” Strait of Hormuz after deal with US: Iranian media

The Strait of Hormuz will continue to be “managed” by Iran, Fars News Agency reported, after US President Donald Trump saying an agreement with the Islamic Republic is “largely negotiated”.

“Although Iran has agreed to allow the number of passing ships to return to pre-war levels, this in no way means a return to ‘free passage’ as it was before the war,” Fars agency said in a report, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

“Accordingly, the management of the strait, the determination of routes, timing, manner of passage, and issuance of permits, will continue to be exclusively under the authority and prudent oversight of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” it added.

Trump said Saturday a deal with Iran had been "largely negotiated," with the proposal including opening the crucial Strait of Hormuz, though the agreement was "subject to finalization."

"An Agreement has been largely negotiated, subject to finalization between the United States of America, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the various other Countries," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, listing a number of Middle East powers along with Turkey and mediator Pakistan.

"In addition to many other elements of the Agreement, the Strait of Hormuz will be opened."

Among the Middle East countries whose leaders joined a call on Saturday to discuss the deal were Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain, Trump said.

He added that he had a separate call with ‘Israeli’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying it "likewise, went very well."

"Final aspects and details of the Deal are currently being discussed, and will be announced shortly," Trump said.

His optimistic post came after Iranian officials said gaps remained between the parties, and that the dispute over its nuclear program would not be part of the initial talks. Tehran said it was finalizing a 14-point framework for a deal.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei noted what he called "a trend towards rapprochement," but said "it does not necessarily mean that we and the United States will reach an agreement on the important issues."

"Our intention was first to draft a memorandum of understanding, a kind of framework agreement composed of 14 clauses," he said on state television.

Baqaei added that he hoped the details of a final agreement could be worked out "within a reasonable timeframe between 30 to 60 days" after the framework is finalized.

“Another act of folly”

Iran's chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf had warned earlier that Washington would face a tough response if it resumes hostilities, after US media reports raised the prospect of new strikes and Iranian officials accused the US side of making "excessive demands."

"Our armed forces have rebuilt themselves during the ceasefire period in such a way that if Trump commits another act of folly and restarts the war, it will certainly be more crushing and bitter for the United States than on the first day of the war," Ghalibaf said.

He issued the warning after meeting in Tehran with Pakistan's army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, a leading figure in international efforts to negotiate an end to the war, which broke out after the United States and ‘Israel’ attacked the Islamic republic on February 28.

Weeks of negotiations, including historic face-to-face talks hosted by Islamabad, have still not produced a permanent resolution or restored full access to the Strait of Hormuz, choking vast quantities of global oil supply.