Iran said on Saturday that it was close to reaching an agreement with Oman on arrangements for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, but stressed that such a deal alone would not be enough to fully reopen the crucial waterway.
The development comes as the United Arab Emirates reported that Iran had struck another vessel in the strait, adding to growing concerns over the safety of one of the world’s most important energy routes.
Iran-Oman Talks Key To Strait Reopening
An agreement between Iran and Oman over the Strait of Hormuz is seen as crucial to a broader effort to end the war that began with US and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28 and led Tehran to establish a chokehold over the major energy export route.
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A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Friday that Washington expected Iran and Oman, which sit on either side of the strait, to reach an agreement soon that could allow normal oil traffic to resume.
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 other conditions, including compensation from the United States to Iran.
Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr, secretary of Iran’s top national security body, listed additional demands, including an end to US threats against Iran, a halt to aggression against Iran and its allies in Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen and Iraq, the lifting of the blockade and sanctions on Iran, and the release of Iranian assets.
Oman Calls Talks ‘Positive And Constructive’
Oman condemned what it described as repeated attacks on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz but did not assign blame for the incidents.
The Omani Foreign Ministry said negotiations with Iran on arrangements for shipping through the waterway had been “positive and constructive”.
“Oman stresses the importance of avoiding any actions that could affect these negotiations and the progress achieved in a manner that takes into account the interests of all parties,” the ministry said.
Araqchi said the previous traffic separation scheme through the strait was no longer acceptable to Tehran. He said Iran was discussing a temporary shipping route with Oman while technical and legal issues surrounding a permanent route were resolved.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said he believed the timing was favourable for an agreement.
“There is cohesion, strength, and unity in the country, and as far as I know, Iran is considered victorious and powerful in this war,” Iranian news agencies quoted him as saying.
UAE Reports Another Ship Attack
Iran has responded to US attacks by targeting American bases in Gulf states and Jordan, while also striking shipping in the narrow Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil and gas shipments passed before the war.
The UAE said on Saturday that Iran had attacked a carrier affiliated with its state oil company with a missile while it was transiting the Strait of Hormuz. No injuries were reported.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said a vessel had caught fire after being hit by an unknown projectile. The fire was later extinguished, and there was no reported environmental impact.
Iranian authorities did not immediately comment on the incident.
US Signals Possible Deal, Iran Sticks To Conditions
In recent weeks, the Trump administration has repeatedly indicated that an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz could be close, only for Iran to deny that talks were under way.
It remained unclear whether the latest negotiations would produce a lasting arrangement.
“Once the deal is announced to restore commercial shipping without impediments, the United States will lift the blockade of Iranian ports,” the US official told Reuters on Friday.
The official said US actions would be linked to Iran’s implementation of its commitments.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which has targeted ships in the strait, also said on Saturday that reopening the waterway depended on Washington accepting Tehran’s conditions and was not linked to the Iran-Oman negotiations.
“Whenever the United States accepts Iran’s conditions, the Strait of Hormuz will certainly be reopened,” IRGC spokesperson Hossein Mohebbi said, according to Iran’s Tasnim news agency.
Proposed Deal Could Give Iran Control Over Shipping
Sources told Reuters earlier this week that a proposed agreement between Iran and Oman aimed at ending the five-month war could give Tehran control over ships entering the Gulf through the strait.
A senior Iranian source and two regional officials said the proposal would represent one of the biggest concessions to Iran so far.
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US officials have repeatedly said Washington would not accept Iran controlling access to the world’s most important trade route for energy supplies. It was not immediately clear whether the United States had sought changes to the proposed arrangement.
Iran has used the conflict to justify charging oil tankers a toll and has fired on ships attempting to cross the strait without its permission.
The measures have severely disrupted global shipping, pushing up energy prices and adding to inflationary pressures.
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