AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): In an interview with Fox News, Vance, referring to continued communications with Iran, said that the United States is trying to maximize the amount of oil and natural gas exiting the Strait of Hormuz. He also claimed that Washington is examining whether Iran is ready to make long-term changes to improve relations with the United States.
The U.S. Vice President added that if Iran is not ready, Washington will continue to apply all forms of pressure and simultaneously try to increase oil and gas exports from the Middle East region so that, according to him, American citizens will benefit from lower energy prices.
Vance also said that America's goal in any possible agreement is to return oil and natural gas production to pre-conflict levels, and claimed that the Iranian side also agrees with this.
These remarks come as Iran and the United States, with Pakistani mediation, had reached an understanding on June 14, the first phase of which included the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the release of Iran's blocked assets and Tehran's commitment not to charge ship passage fees for 60 days.
However, after signing the understanding, the United States did not release Iran's assets and designated an alternative route for ships through Omani territorial waters; an action that Tehran considered a violation of the understanding. Tensions then escalated into military conflict between the two sides from July 8, and after about two weeks, Iran resumed its negotiations with Oman to determine safe shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz.
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