Iran has said it has reached an agreement with Oman on a shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz. Esmaeil Baqaei, a spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry, said the understanding was in its “final stages” but did not provide further details. He said in a statement carried by Iran’s state news agency, Irna, that the “geographical coordinates of the route” had been agreed with Oman. Security Concerns RemainBaqaei said that an arrangement with Oman would not, on its own, guarantee safe navigation through the strait. He argued that insecurity in the waterway continued to be affected by the United States’ blockade of Iran’s ports and what he described as other aggressive and threatening actions against Iran and its interests. Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi later told Irna that the new route would be temporary, potentially remaining open for two to four months, without giving additional specifics. Iran has previously said the reopening of the strait depends on ships meeting prior clearance requirements. Since the start of the war, traffic through the route has dwindled, and Iran has said it has attacked vessels that ignored its order to clear passage beforehand. US Warnings And Ongoing TalksThe Strait of Hormuz is a key shipping lane for global oil and liquefied natural gas, typically accounting for about a fifth of supply passing through it. Since the US and Israel attacked Iran in late February, Tehran has largely blocked the strait, and global oil prices have fluctuated sharply. On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump warned that Iran would be “hit very hard” if the strait did not open “very soon”. His comments followed remarks by senior US officials that talks had progressed to allow shipments to potentially resume later this week. Iran has maintained that it is not negotiating with the United States and has no plans to do so. Reopening the strait has been a central issue in discussions between Tehran and Washington, as well as in talks involving mediators. Fee Dispute And Earlier MoU CollapseOne issue said to remain contentious between Iran and the US is Iran’s threat to impose a fee on vessels seeking to cross the strait. On Wednesday, Iranian officials did not say whether that question was included in the discussions with Oman. In June, Iran and the US signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at stopping fighting, reopening the Strait of Hormuz and reaching an agreement to end the war within 60 days. The arrangement quickly broke down, and diplomatic talks stalled, with tit-for-tat attacks resuming within days of the MoU. The US has also maintained a naval blockade of Iranian ports in the region. A separate blockade is in place on Saudi Arabia’s ports in the Red Sea, imposed by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis since 20 July. Join the discussion? 6 August 2026
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