US-Iran talks in deadlock – what’s the latest?

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that US-Iran negotiations remain stalled as the two countries clash over control of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane that carries a large share of global oil and liquefied natural gas trade in normal times. The story, published on 13 August 2026, says Iran is preventing vessels without its approval from transiting the strait, while the United States has imposed its own naval pressure near Iranian ports. Shipping through the waterway has reportedly fallen to a one-week low amid the confrontation.

The article says US President Donald Trump has claimed Washington is in “total control” of the strait, a position Iran rejects. Iranian officials insist the passage remains blocked until their conditions are met, including an end to US threats, sanctions, and military pressure, as well as compensation for damage and the release of frozen assets. Iran’s foreign minister and other officials have described US claims as misinformation and said the strait is under Iranian management.

According to Al Jazeera, the immediate diplomatic focus is not direct US-Iran talks but mediation involving Oman, with Qatar saying those discussions have reached an advanced stage. The reported aim is to create safe shipping lanes that allow commercial traffic to resume while addressing security concerns for Iran and Oman. Pakistan is also described as trying to help restart broader peace talks, but those efforts have not yet resolved the dispute.

The deadlock matters because the Strait of Hormuz is a strategic chokepoint and the dispute has become a central obstacle to wider negotiations. Al Jazeera presents the situation as fluid, with the risk that continued escalation could prolong restrictions on shipping and deepen the regional conflict.