Iran says Strait of Hormuz talks with Oman in final stage, full opening hinges on US
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Iran says negotiations with Oman over the Strait of Hormuz are in the final stage, and a temporary shipping route is to be opened under a bilateral agreement that leaves the waterway’s full reopening dependent on US compliance with a prior deal. The talks, exclusively between Tehran and Muscat, have produced a temporary arrangement that could last two to four months, Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi told IRNA. The development comes as Iran pressures Washington to release frozen assets under a Pakistan-brokered June 14 accord.
The Final-Stage Talks
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi told state news agency IRNA that negotiations with Oman on Strait of Hormuz transit have entered the final stage. The talks, exclusively between Tehran and Muscat, have produced a temporary shipping arrangement that could last two to four months or more. Gharibabadi said no US involvement occurred, dismissing American assertions to the contrary. The temporary pact, while limited, marks a step toward easing tensions in the vital waterway that handles about a fifth of global oil traffic.
Temporary Routes and Tehran’s Terms
Under the tentative deal, two temporary routes – a northern corridor near Lark Island and a southern lane through Omani internal waters – would be decommissioned once a permanent alternative is implemented, Gharibabadi said. The new permanent route would see some sections pass through Iran’s territorial waters, a model he described as a strategy to assert effective sovereignty over the strait. Iran seeks to establish a new traffic pattern based on national security concerns and interests, moving away from the pre-war model where all passages occurred through Omani waters. The official noted that the arrangement requires no declaration that ships must entirely use Iranian waters. If the agreement with Oman moves to implementation, the temporary routes would be replaced by the permanent one.
US Compliance and Full Opening
Full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz remains contingent on the United States returning to its commitments under the Islamabad Agreement, Gharibabadi said. That June 14 accord, brokered by Pakistan, required the US to release frozen Iranian assets in exchange for Iran opening the waterway and waiving transit fees for 60 days. However, Washington did not release the funds and instead designated an alternative route through Omani waters, according to Iranian officials. Gharibabadi stated that Iran has received messages from the US indicating readiness to resume commitments, but Tehran has not yet decided on moving to the second phase – full opening under Article 5 of the agreement. He emphasized that any permanent solution must be between Iran and Oman alone, without third-party interference.
What's Next
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council is reviewing whether to proceed to the second phase of the Islamabad Agreement, a decision that remains pending. It is unclear if Washington will take concrete steps to unfreeze assets, and analysts warn that failure to resolve the standoff could prolong the partial closure and raise shipping risks in the strategic waterway.
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Iran says Strait of Hormuz talks with Oman in final stage, full opening hinges on US
