According to Eram News, a diplomatic source familiar with the US-Iran mediation process said on Monday that the US proposed a phased agreement to partially lift the blockade, starting with the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, in a document attached to the Qatari proposal. The next phase would involve gradual negotiations on the nuclear issue, including the lifting of sanctions and the phased unfreezing of frozen Iranian funds. The unfreezing rate could reach 30% after a comprehensive nuclear agreement is signed. The source also stated that Tehran has not yet responded to the US proposal and is still awaiting commitments it deems necessary before agreeing to discuss navigation arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz and linking this to the lifting of the blockade and the progress of unfreezing funds. The source further noted that Tehran is demanding that Washington first make clear commitments within the framework of a "Strait in exchange for blockade" before moving on to other issues. Iran is currently avoiding clarifying the specific nature of these other issues and is unwilling to include them in the negotiation framework. The US, on the other hand, refuses to explicitly commit to including the lifting of the blockade in any agreement limited to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. This further complicates the prospects for direct negotiations with Tehran. Iran also insists that the United States withdraw its troops from the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman.
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