Iran Weighs Pausing Its Hormuz Shipping to Avoid Derailing Talks, Bloomberg Reports

Iran is considering a short-term pause to shipments through the Strait of Hormuz to avoid testing a US blockade and scuppering a fresh round of peace talks, according to a person familiar with the Tehran’s deliberations, Bloomberg reported.

The potential pause reflects a desire to avoid immediate escalation at a sensitive diplomatic juncture as Washington and Tehran sort logistics for another face-to-face meeting, the person said, asking not to be identified as the deliberations are private.

The Iranian embassy in the UK and the foreign ministry in Tehran didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

The US and Iran are weighing further negotiations to extend a ceasefire, Bloomberg reported Monday, as President Donald Trump presses ahead with a naval blockade to curb the Islamic Republic’s oil exports. The objective is to hold fresh talks before the truce expires next week.

Holding back maritime activity for several days is seen as one possible, pragmatic step to prevent an incident that could undermine the fragile efforts to revive discussions, people familiar with the matter said.