Stalemate at the Strait: US-Iran Talks Fray as Hormuz Tension Mounts

ISW-CTP’s May 28 update ties together a reported 60-day MoU to extend a ceasefire and discuss Iran’s nuclear program with Tehran’s apparent reluctance to concede, especially on relinquishing control of the Strait of Hormuz. The US is pressuring Iran through sanctions (including on the PGSA) and strikes to prevent a “protection racket,” while Iranian demands for immediate economic relief and ambiguities over terms complicate any deal. Domestically, Iran re-elected Ghalibaf as parliament speaker. In the Lebanon theater, the IDF conducted strikes around Beirut and northeast of the Litani, signaling intensified Israeli activity against Hezbollah amid broader Axis of Resistance actions.