Trump has halted the ship escort operation in the Strait of Hormuz. What the media is writing
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- Trump has halted the ship escort operation in the Strait of Hormuz. What the media is writing
US President Donald Trump announced that he was suspending the operation to escort commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, which he had announced two days earlier. According to him, he wants to give a chance to negotiations between the United States and Iran to achieve a peaceful settlement. Tehran replied that they would like to reach a comprehensive agreement before opening the strait. How the media reacts to the volatile situation in the Persian Gulf is in the Izvestia digest.
The Guardian: Trump has suspended the Freedom Project in the hope of finalizing a deal with Iran
Trump announced the suspension of Project Freedom, an American program to evacuate stranded ships from the Strait of Hormuz, in order to finalize a deal with Iran, but added that the blockade of Iranian ports would remain in force. Trump announced the sudden change of plans on social media, saying he was suspending efforts for a "short period" to allow time for the completion of U.S. negotiations with Iran to resolve the war.
The Guardian
Despite the fact that Project Freedom was launched only [on May 4], Trump stated that he made this decision "at the request of Pakistan and other countries, due to the tremendous military successes achieved during the campaign against Iran, as well as due to the fact that significant progress has been made towards full and effective a final agreement with the representatives of Iran."
Trump's statement came after military leaders and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the truce in the Middle East was still being respected and that although the conflict had not been resolved, the first major US military operation against Iran had been completed. Rubio also noted that in order to achieve peace, Iran must agree to Trump's demands regarding its nuclear program and agree to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Reuters: Iran says it wants to conclude a "comprehensive agreement" with the United States
Iran will accept only a "fair and comprehensive agreement" during negotiations with the United States on ending the war in the Middle East, the country's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on May 6. He did not comment directly on Trump's proposal to suspend the US operation to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, which had previously been proposed as an incentive to reach an agreement between the two sides.
Reuters
"We will do our best to protect our legitimate rights and interests during the negotiations," Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in Beijing after meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, according to Iranian media. "We accept only a fair and comprehensive agreement."
After Trump's announcement, Brent crude futures fell 1.2% to $108.60 per barrel, continuing a 4% drop in the previous session. Futures for U.S. WTI crude oil fell 1.2% to $101.06 per barrel, after falling 3.9% the day before.
Bloomberg: What will it take to reopen the Strait of Hormuz
The resumption of normal shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is unlikely while the war is raging. And even after the conflict eventually subsides, it is unclear how soon flights will resume and to what extent. The threat of Iranian attacks alone has forced most shipowners to abandon trips since the United States and Israel began bombing Iran on February 28. Their fear will not disappear completely after the fighting subsides, or even if a formal ceasefire is reached. At first, some kind of naval escort is likely to be required, and such an operation is fraught with many risks and limitations.
Bloomberg
Iran has been accumulating missiles for decades, and it is unknown how much of this arsenal remains. In addition, it has — and most likely still produces — thousands of less sophisticated Shahed-type drones that can be used to destroy tankers. Thus, the Iranian military can easily turn the strait into a firing range.
Even after the end of hostilities, shipowners who do not have Iranian guarantees of safe passage are likely to want to receive some kind of military protection. Naval escorts could provide the necessary protection. If this eventually restores substantial shipping levels, it could mitigate some supply disruptions and lower global energy prices, which have risen sharply since the start of the conflict.
The New York Times: China receives Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi
Araghchi became the first senior Iranian official to visit Beijing since the start of the war between the United States and Israel with Iran in late February. His meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, was another step by Beijing to help end the war, while trying to avoid being drawn into the conflict. At the same time, China is preparing to host Trump at a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping next week, during which the leaders are likely to discuss reopening the Strait of Hormuz for commercial ships and oil tankers.
The New York Times
Even while trying to maintain stable relations with the United States ahead of Trump's summit with Xi Jinping, China is resisting U.S. pressure on Iran. After the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on an independent Chinese oil refinery that buys large volumes of Iranian oil, China urged its companies not to comply with US sanctions.
Iran has allowed passage to ships carrying Iranian oil, including those bound for China. However, the sharp rise in global energy prices has hurt China's economy. Foreign officials said China played a behind-the-scenes role in persuading Iran to accept the terms of the fragile truce reached in April.
CNN: The UN warns of an "unprecedented" crisis for seafarers in the Persian Gulf
As the impasse in the Persian Gulf drags on, maritime industry workers – many of whom hail from poor developing countries – find themselves trapped between commercial pressure from shipowners, security threats from drones and naval mines, and limited legal protections.
CNN
"This is an unprecedented situation," Damien Chevalier, director of the Maritime Safety division at the United Nations International Maritime Organization, said in an interview. — About 20,000 sailors have been in the Persian Gulf for almost eight weeks. This is a humanitarian crisis. We have never encountered a situation like this."
Many of the sailors cannot dock on either side of the Persian Gulf: Iranian ports pose a danger comparable to a war zone, and visa restrictions and logistical obstacles along the Arab states located along the southern coast of the Gulf make it difficult for many sailors to exit their ships. The sea exit through the Strait of Hormuz remains virtually closed.
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