Former Acting Director of the State Department's Office of Iran Affairs, Joe Hood, stated that while the conflict between Iran and the United States has temporarily subsided, this situation will not last long, as both sides are rearming, replenishing their equipment, and preparing for the next move. Hood stated that the memorandum of understanding signed in June was doomed to fail because "the text was poorly written," giving Iran the opportunity to interpret it as claiming sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz and the future situation in Lebanon. He added that if professional diplomats had been involved at the time, the agreement would never have been drafted in the same way, nor would it have left Iran with so much room for interpretation. Hood stated that there are currently no signs that the two sides will restart the memorandum of understanding or reach a new agreement, as they are currently deadlocked. He believes that Iran's insistence on sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz is the main obstacle to negotiations, and predicts that if Iran allows ships to pass freely again, Trump will respond by lifting the naval blockade and rescinding oil sanctions.
