The latest
The United States, Iran, and Oman are nearing a temporary agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, according to Axios, which cited two regional sources and a U.S. official. The report said an announcement could come on Wednesday after Iran’s leadership completed its internal approval process, while President Donald Trump continued expressing confidence that the waterway would reopen soon.
Details
- The agreement: Axios reported that the proposed arrangement would establish temporary shipping rules between Iran and Oman for 60 days, with an option to extend the agreement.
- The negotiations: According to the report, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff held talks in recent days with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi.
- Iranian approval: Axios cited two regional sources as saying Araghchi had given preliminary approval, while a U.S. official and another regional source said Iran’s leadership completed its approval process on Tuesday.
- Trump’s message: Trump said the Strait of Hormuz would “open soon” and added that Washington would know within 48 hours whether the talks would produce a deal. He also criticized Tehran for publicly denying contacts with the United States.
- Iran’s public position: Meanwhile, Reuters, citing Iranian state media and an informed source, reported that any Hormuz agreement with Oman would be delayed as long as the United States continued threatening Iran, underscoring the gap between the parties’ public messaging.
Background
Roughly 20% of global oil trade passes through the Strait of Hormuz, making it the world’s most important energy shipping route. Earlier efforts to reopen the passage collapsed over disagreements about navigation arrangements and transit fees before Oman resumed mediation in recent weeks.
What to watch
If the agreement is announced, attention will shift to the implementation of the temporary navigation arrangements and whether the parties can build on them to launch negotiations on more contentious issues, including Iran’s nuclear program and longer-term regional security arrangements.
