Rashid Mohannadi, vice president of the Center for International Policy Studies, believes that despite the increasingly hardline public rhetoric from both the US and Iran, discussions aimed at resolving the crisis are actually progressing. He points out that both sides are actively stating their positions. Regarding the possible form of a final agreement on the Strait of Hormuz, Mohannadi says the issue remains controversial. He believes Iran views control of this strategic waterway as a national security concern and uses it as leverage in negotiations, but he describes this leverage as a "depreciating asset." Mohannadi adds that obstructing freedom of navigation remains widely opposed, but all parties seem willing to explore establishing a mutually acceptable regional mechanism to manage passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
