U.S.-Iran talks Doha: Washington pushes Iran away from Hormuz tolls

U.S.-Iran talks Doha: Toll dispute heats up

In the latest round of U.S.-Iran talks Doha, American negotiators warned Tehran that a nuclear pact will yield far more revenue than any toll scheme in the Strait of Hormuz. The parties have a ↑ 60-day window to hammer out a comprehensive agreement, yet they remain locked on the memorandum of understanding signed weeks ago.

“We have reached an understanding to keep the waters quiet for a week,” a U.S. official told Axios.

The pause aims to create a calmer environment for technical teams to work, but analysts note the risk of renewed clashes after the July 4 holiday. Vice President Vance said on Wednesday that the U.S. technical team is meeting Iranians, Qataris, and others in Doha to sustain progress, adding that talks are “still early but going well.”

Key points from the Doha session

President Trump’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, met Qatari officials, including the emir, to lay groundwork for technical exchanges. Sources say the agenda covered the Hormuz toll demand, frozen Iranian assets, and the Lebanon ceasefire. Iran’s recent attacks on commercial vessels followed the launch of a new shipping lane near Oman, a move Tehran calls a violation of its claimed joint sovereignty with Oman. The U.S. argues any new arrangement must be approved by Gulf states, while Iran insists final authority rests with it. The dispute echoed in Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s talks with six Gulf capitals in Bahrain last week, where Gulf nations debated post‑MOU management of the strait. Reuters reported that Washington is pressing Tehran to see the broader economic picture: lifting sanctions could unlock oil and gas revenues ↓ 3 billion times larger than toll earnings. President Trump claimed the meetings were “very good” and denied imminent military action, though insiders say he reviewed options before conceding to diplomacy. AP News noted a disputed claim that Doha participants agreed to release the first tranche of frozen funds—$3 billion for humanitarian purchases—though U.S. officials refuted any cash transfer. Finally, the United States signaled to Iran that it expects Israel to honor a Lebanese ceasefire, warning that any Israeli non‑compliance could trigger a stronger Iranian response.