Iran Weighs Temporary Halt to Hormuz Shipments to Keep US Talks Alive

Bloomberg report

Pause could help build trust as follow-up talks are discussed

Iran is considering temporarily halting shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, Bloomberg reported on April 15, citing people familiar with the matter. The move appears aimed at avoiding a breakdown in dialogue after testing a US counter-blockade.

The US began blocking vessels traveling to and from Iran from passing through the strait on April 13, after the two sides failed to reach an agreement in their first ceasefire talks on April 11. The measure was intended to stop Iran from transporting oil and goods through Hormuz.

After Iran moved first to pressure Washington by closing the strait, the US responded with a counter-blockade that effectively boxed Iran into the waterway. As of April 15, there had been no confirmed attempt by Iran to force its way through the US blockade.

The US and Iran are now discussing follow-up negotiations. In that context, a several-day suspension of Iranian maritime shipments could help prevent a clash that might derail efforts to resume talks and build trust ahead of the next round of negotiations.

Rachel Ziemba, a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, said that if Iran does suspend shipments, it would signal that Tehran also wants to reduce tensions and avoid a renewed military confrontation.

Still, Iran's calculations are continuing to shift, the people told Bloomberg. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, for example, could try to test the US blockade, risking the current momentum for talks.

Go Jeong-sam, Hankyung.com reporter jsk@hankyung.com