Stakes rise as Hormuz control and uranium stockpile drive US-Iran talks

Pakistan-led talks between the US and Iran hinge on two sticking points: control of the Hormuz Strait and Tehran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, with Iran demanding a permanent ceasefire and sanctions relief while proposing a Gulf-wide Strait Authority to manage transit; Gulf states warn against Iran’s toll-based routing, Washington presses Tehran to export the stockpile, and regional players including China and Russia are floated as mediators or backstops as broader tensions and oil-price considerations shape the diplomacy.