Iran’s Hormuz Strait toll plans become key dispute in negotiations with U.S.: Reports
Iran is intent on charging fees for ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the vital trade route that was choked off during the U.S.-Israeli war and remains at the center of ongoing negotiations between Washington and Tehran, according to multiple reports.
The U.S. has floated the possibility of relinquishing some frozen Iranian funds in exchange for the Islamic republic abandoning its claims over the waterway, but Iran has so far refused, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.
The monthslong war in Iran, launched by the U.S. and Israel in late February, led to last month’s signing of a 60-day memorandum of understanding that paved the way for further talks on a permanent deal. But tensions remain high, with the sides exchanging fire at one point and continuing to publicly disagree about key issues.
Axios on Wednesday cited a U.S. official saying discussions in the Persian Gulf currently center on “how the Strait should be managed after [the memorandum expires].”
—Kevin Breuninger
Trump interview to follow lackluster jobs report
Trump’s interview with CNBC has been teed up by some unwelcome economic news: The Labor Department reported a sudden slowdown in U.S. job growth last month.
Nonfarm payrollsfor June increased by a seasonally adjusted 57,000 for the month, less than half of the Dow Jones forecast of 115,000. Job creation in May was also downwardly revised to 129,000, according to the government’s latest monthly report.
The unemployment rate dropped to 4.2% — but that was largely due to a decline in the labor force participation rate, suggesting fewer people in the U.S. are actively looking for work. The rate fell 0.3 percentage points to 61.5%, its lowest point since March 2021.
—Kevin Breuninger and Jeff Cox
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