Iran is likely to stick to its demand of imposing fees as part of a mechanism to control shipping through the Strait of Hormuz because of the amount of pressure Trump is facing at home, according to Foad Izadi, professor of world studies at the University of Tehran.

Trump is under a lot of economic pressure as petrol prices remain much higher than they were before the war began, Izadi told Al Jazeera.

Furthermore, a lot of Congress members, including some Republicans, and the majority of Americans oppose the war, said the professor.

“So, the Iranian side sees this data and realises that they have some leverage on Trump and see themselves as victims of an illegal war that has cost Iran a lot,” he added.

As a result, Iranian officials are likely to “conclude that this is the best time to establish a mechanism to get paid for some of the damages, because of the pressure that Trump is facing, so I don’t think the Iranians will give up that option that easily”, said Izadi.

If Trump’s party loses the midterms, this could affect the budget approved by Congress, which would impact how much money Trump receives to continue this war, Izadi concluded.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei has said Iran and Oman are continuing talks aimed at ensuring the safe flow of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, with discussions focused on designating safe inbound and outbound lanes.

In comments carried by Iran’s IRIB broadcaster, Baghaei said the talks have “been assessed positively at the both the technical and political levels” as Iran works to develop the needed “mechanisms” to manage traffic in the strait.