US presses Iran on Hormuz tolls in Doha talks

US and Iranian negotiators resumed talks in Doha this week focused largely on the Strait of Hormuz, where Washington is trying to steer Tehran away from demands for passage fees that could threaten energy transit. Reaction pending.

Vice President Vance said Wednesday that a US technical team was meeting with Iranian, Qatari and other officials in Doha to keep negotiations moving. Officials said President Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met Qatari leaders on Tuesday and Wednesday, with discussions covering the strait, Iran’s frozen assets and the ceasefire in Lebanon.

Hormuz toll dispute threatens energy transit

Officials said the two sides reached a one-week understanding on Sunday to reduce tensions in the strait after several exchanges of fire. The pause is intended to give negotiators room to work on the memorandum of understanding signed earlier, but officials said the parties remain divided two weeks into a 60-day window for a broader nuclear agreement.

The dispute centers on whether Iran can seek fees for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz after the MOU period ends. Officials said Iran argues it shares sovereignty with Oman and can administer the route, while the US view is that Gulf countries must endorse any new arrangements because the strait is an international waterway.

If the pause holds, technical talks could narrow the toll dispute and reduce near-term risk to oil flows. If it fails, renewed clashes could hit shipping confidence, weaken the case for a broader US-Iran deal and raise pressure on Gulf energy exporters. The next test comes after July 4, 2026, when the current quiet period could lapse.