Iran’s Foreign Ministry says US peace deal is close | ABC NEWS

📍 An Iranian official says while “there is no toll” on the Strait of Hormuz, the regime is working to regulate the waterway and ships wishing to cross will likely be required to make some form of payment.

At a press briefing in Tehran attended by the ABC the regime issued its first direct response to statements from the United States over the weekend, suggesting a deal to end the war was close and would include opening the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran did say a framework to end the war with the US had been reached, but warned an agreement was not imminent and its nuclear program was not part of the negotiations.

The ABC was in the room for the briefing and was permitted to ask a question — one we were required to submit in advance.

We asked: “We would like to know under what conditions will Iran agree to open the Strait of Hormuz? Will there be tolls imposed on ships? Will there be different conditions for different countries?”

Foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei responded: “There is no toll. We need to pay attention to the words we use. We’re not after money. Iran and Oman need to create protocols for the safe passage of ships and this will be based on international laws. It’s both for the benefit of our country and also for all countries around the world.

“It’s only natural that the services we provide, like navigation and the preservation of the ecosystem of the strait, the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman will have costs. These should not be considered tolls. Iran and Oman are being responsible in our efforts and I hope we will reach a conclusion soon.”

📷 via ABC News by Asia editor Karishma Vyas and camera operator Daniel Pannett.

Note: In most cases, our captions are auto-generated.

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