Hormuz talks end in Doha without a deal as August deadline nears

Two days of indirect talks between Iran and the United States wrapped up in Doha on July 2 without a formal agreement on the Strait of Hormuz. Negotiators covered maritime transit rights and the release of frozen Iranian funds. Both sides claimed progress. Neither offered details.

The strait carries around one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas exports. Traffic has partly resumed since June's ceasefire deal, but analysts describe conditions through the waterway as patchy and unpredictable.

The central dispute is what happens in mid-August, when the 60-day toll-free period in the June 17 memorandum of understanding expires. Iran has said it will introduce maritime service fees and an environmental levy on ships once that window closes. The Trump administration has rejected the tolls and insists the strait must remain open under international law.

In late June, an Iranian drone struck the Singapore-flagged cargo ship M/V Ever Lovely while it was transiting the waterway. The United States struck Iranian facilities in response. Both sides continued to talk in Doha despite that exchange.

The next round of negotiations is set to follow the state burial of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Mashhad, scheduled for July 9.

For background on shipping through this region, read about the Strait of Hormuz’s role in sea trade, how shipping routes change during conflicts, and tracking oil tankers on MarineRadar.