Hormuz Negotiations, Michigan Senate Race, Trump Talks Economy

**Michel Martin** (0:02)
President Trump has claimed several times that a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz is close.

**Leila Fadel** (0:07)
Now Iran is saying it too, but in a deal that is being negotiated directly with Oman.

**Michel Martin** (0:12)
I'm Michelle Martin, this is Leila Fadel, and this is Up First from NPR News.
Progressive Abdul El-Sayed leaked out a primary victory for a Michigan Senate seat. He now faces former GOP Congressman Mike Rogers in November. What does El-Sayed need to do to win an estate that voted for President Trump two years ago?

**Leila Fadel** (0:32)
And President Trump traveled to Las Vegas where he claimed the economy was fine and blamed Democrats for high prices.

**Samir Hashmi** (0:38)
The economy is the greatest economy we've ever had by far.

**Leila Fadel** (0:42)
What do voters say? Stay with us, we'll give you the news you need to start your day.

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**Leila Fadel** (1:54)
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister says his country is close to a deal to allow ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

**Michel Martin** (2:01)
The deal may not even involve the US. Instead, it's being hammered out between Iran and Oman, which is located on the southern edge of the strait, one of the most important waterways for oil and gas exports.

**Leila Fadel** (2:11)
To discuss what the deal might entail, we're joined now by reporter Samir Hashmi in Dubai. Good morning, Samir.

**Samir Hashmi** (2:17)
Good morning.

**Leila Fadel** (2:18)
So what do we know about this potential agreement?

**Samir Hashmi** (2:21)
Well, Iran says that the deal with Oman is in its final stages, but hasn't shared the precise details. What the country's Deputy Foreign Minister, Qasem Ghari Babadi said is that the talks with Oman have covered technical arrangements, the security details, and a proposed joint coordination center between the two countries to manage maritime traffic. Now, he was also speaking to Iran's state media, and in an interview, he said that under the proposed arrangement, temporary routes would allow ships to pass through Iran's waters and exit through Oman's waters. Now, Iranian officials have also stated that this would not be the complete reopening of the Strait, and according to Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Ismail Baghi, when he was speaking to the press, he said that the deal with Oman would not guarantee safe navigation due to, quote, US blockade of Iran's ports.
Now, these negotiations have been on for the last three weeks, and they're on the verge of finalizing it, is what these officials are saying.

**Leila Fadel** (3:25)
Is the US involved at all in these talks?

**Samir Hashmi** (3:28)
Well, Iran denies it. Iran says it's directly negotiating with Oman, and it's not talking to the United States. However, we heard from President Trump earlier this week saying that the US was in talks with Iran, and they were also discussing the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and he also threatened that this was Iran's last chance for a deal, otherwise the US would strike them again.
He also said yesterday that he expects the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to be announced soon in the next few days, and the talks have made progress.

**Leila Fadel** (4:00)
Yeah. We should point out this was all open to shipping before the US and Israel attacked Iran more than five months ago. Will the deal give Iran de facto control of the Strait?

**Samir Hashmi** (4:11)
It's tough to say at this stage because we don't know the exact details of this deal that has been hammered between Iran and Oman. But if you see the statements that have come out from Iran over the past few months since the war started and even during the ceasefire, which was announced in June, Iranian officials have insisted that they need to have some sort of control over the Strait, whether it's taking permission from Iranian officials, ships taking permission from them or paying a toll. So they have made those statements consistently.