Iran says an agreement with Oman on Strait of Hormuz shipping is close, but Tehran insists broader US concessions are needed before the crucial waterway reopens.
Iran says deal with Oman is close
Iran said Saturday that it was close to reaching an agreement with Oman on arrangements for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, but warned that the deal alone would not be enough to reopen the strategic waterway.
The development came as diplomatic efforts intensified to end the conflict between Iran, the United States and Israel, while attacks on commercial shipping continued to raise concerns about global energy supplies.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Tehran and Muscat were “very close” to an agreement on a new shipping route through the strait. However, he said reopening the waterway would depend on wider conditions, including compensation from the United States.
The Strait of Hormuz, separating Iran and Oman at the entrance to the Gulf, is one of the world’s most important energy corridors. Before the war, roughly one-fifth of global oil and gas shipments passed through the narrow waterway.
Tehran sets broader conditions
Iran’s position suggests that negotiations over shipping arrangements are only one part of a much larger diplomatic dispute.
Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr, secretary of Iran’s top national security body, said Tehran wanted an end to US threats and military aggression, the lifting of sanctions and a blockade, and the release of Iranian assets.
Iran has also demanded an end to attacks against what it describes as its regional allies in Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen and Iraq.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards separately said reopening Hormuz depended on Washington accepting Iran’s conditions and was not simply linked to the negotiations with Oman.
“Whenever the United States accepts Iran’s conditions, the Strait of Hormuz will certainly be reopened,” Guards spokesman Hossein Mohebbi said, according to Iran’s Tasnim news agency.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the current moment offered a good opportunity for an agreement, arguing that the country remained united and strong despite the conflict.
Oman reports progress
Oman, which has played a central diplomatic role, described negotiations with Iran over shipping arrangements as “positive and constructive.”
The Omani Foreign Ministry also condemned what it described as repeated attacks on vessels transiting the strait, while avoiding assigning responsibility.
Muscat urged all parties to avoid actions that could undermine the negotiations or jeopardize progress already achieved.
Araqchi said the previous traffic separation scheme used by vessels in the strait was no longer acceptable to Tehran. Iran and Oman are therefore discussing a temporary shipping route while technical and legal issues surrounding a permanent arrangement are resolved.
Shipping attacks add pressure
The diplomatic developments came as tensions remained high around commercial shipping.
The United Arab Emirates said Iran had attacked a carrier affiliated with the UAE’s state oil company with a missile while it was transiting the Strait of Hormuz. No injuries were reported.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency also said a vessel caught fire after being hit by an unidentified projectile. The fire was extinguished, with no environmental impact reported.
Iranian authorities did not immediately comment on the latest incident.
The attacks have further complicated efforts to restore normal commercial traffic through the strait, with shipping companies facing growing risks and uncertainty.
US says humanitarian vessels have crossed
The United States has repeatedly signaled in recent weeks that an agreement to restore shipping through Hormuz could be approaching, although Iranian officials have previously denied that negotiations were underway.
A US official told Reuters that Washington would lift its blockade of Iranian ports once a deal was announced restoring commercial shipping without impediments. The official said US measures would be linked to Iran implementing its commitments.
US Central Command said Saturday that more than 30 ships had been permitted to pass through for humanitarian aid since the blockade began.
It also said US forces had turned away 53 ships, disabled two vessels and boarded two others.
The restrictions have contributed to shortages and rapidly rising prices for food and other necessities inside Iran.
Pezeshkian blamed the United States for difficulties in importing basic goods, although he did not refer to humanitarian exemptions reported by US Central Command.
A major sticking point
A proposed Iran-Oman arrangement could give Tehran control over ships entering the Gulf through Hormuz, according to a senior Iranian source and two regional officials cited by Reuters.
Such an arrangement would represent one of the biggest concessions to Iran under discussion, but it also faces strong opposition from Washington.
US officials have repeatedly said they would not accept Iran controlling access to the world’s most important energy shipping route.
The uncertainty has already disrupted global oil shipments. Iran has used the conflict to justify charging tolls on oil tankers and has fired on vessels attempting to cross the strait without its permission.
Those disruptions have pushed energy prices higher and contributed to inflationary pressures in economies dependent on imported fuel.
Why it matters
The negotiations over Hormuz extend far beyond Iran, Oman and the United States. Any prolonged disruption to the strait threatens one of the world’s most critical energy arteries and could keep pressure on oil prices, shipping costs and global inflation.
A temporary shipping arrangement could provide immediate relief to international markets, but Iran’s insistence on broader US concessions means a lasting reopening remains tied to the much wider dispute over sanctions, military action and regional security.
For now, the key question is whether Tehran and Washington can turn the emerging Iran-Oman shipping agreement into a broader settlement that allows commercial vessels to move through Hormuz safely and without restrictions.
