FinancialJuice says the Strait of Hormuz has become the central bargaining chip in efforts to end the nearly seven-month US-Iran war. Citing sources close to the talks, it describes a proposed phased approach linking a reopening to relief from the US economic blockade.

A separate post discussing a Reuters report challenges the prospects for a deal. It says the US rejected the same proposal on September 23 and Iran called reports of a seven-day phased reopening false on September 22. The post also quotes a senior Iranian official cited in that report as saying the chances of diplomacy resolving the conflict were “extremely low.”