US presses Iran on Hormuz toll in Doha talks

US negotiators pressed Iran in Doha to abandon a proposed toll tied to the Strait of Hormuz while seeking movement on a nuclear deal and sanctions relief, officials said. The talks remained focused on a 14-point memorandum of understanding signed last month, but both sides were still disputing terms they had already put on paper.

The US side urged Tehran to “think bigger,” officials said, framing the Hormuz demand as too narrow against the potential value of a broader nuclear and sanctions package. The Strait of Hormuz is a sensitive geopolitical pressure point because energy markets treat any disruption risk there as a potential oil-supply shock.

Hormuz toll strains Doha bargain

The dispute shows how a narrow maritime demand can complicate a wider bargain over Iran’s nuclear program and sanctions access. If Tehran drops the toll proposal, negotiators could shift attention back to the memorandum’s core trade-off: nuclear limits in exchange for sanctions changes. That would reduce one visible irritant for energy markets and give the talks a cleaner path.

If Iran instead keeps the demand, the mechanism runs the other way. The US would face pressure not to reward a levy linked to a strategic shipping route, while Iran would signal that economic relief alone is not enough. For oil and shipping, the risk would be less about an immediate disruption and more about a higher geopolitical premium.

The next marker is whether officials confirm a follow-up Doha session or a revised draft by July 9, 2026.