Strait of Hormuz: Negotiators ‘Braced for Worst’ as US-Iran Talks Drag Into Third Day

Indirect talks between Washington and Tehran have entered a third day in Doha, with Qatar mediating the release of more than $6bn in frozen Iranian assets. The deal could reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restart negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme. Gulf officials say they are “braced for the worst” as they wait for Washington’s response to the Iranian proposal. The timing is critical: the US midterm elections take place on Tuesday. The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil passes. Its closure has disrupted global energy supplies.