RABAT, August 8. /TASS/. Iran has no plans to soften its position in talks with the United States, making it too early to discuss reopening the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping, Iraqi energy expert Mamdouh Salameh said.

"Talk of progress in the US-Iran negotiations is merely speculation circulating in the Western media," Salameh, an expert on global energy and the oil market, pointed out. "In reality, Tehran maintains a tougher position than the press suggests," he said.

Salamaeh believes that Iran "will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping unless its conditions are met," which primarily include an end to the US military operation, the withdrawal of US military bases from Gulf countries, and the pullout of US forces from the Gulf region. The analyst added that Tehran also wants its role in ensuring security in the Strait of Hormuz to be formally recognized and seeks to collect transit fees from vessels passing through the waterway, which could amount to 5-7% of the value of their cargoes.

Salameh emphasized that "these factors make a return to normal shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz unlikely at this point." He predicted the crisis could last "several months, even up to a year," affecting oil prices, energy security and the global economy.

According to Salameh, the United States could once again resort to military action to restore shipping through the strait, but such a scenario would pose extremely dangerous risks for the entire region.