Iran, Oman draft shipping deal for Strait of Hormuz

Diplomatic efforts to reopen the critical Strait of Hormuz advanced this week, with Iran announcing on August 5 that it is in the final stages of drafting a bilateral agreement with Oman to manage commercial shipping through the strategic waterway. However, Tehran immediately cautioned that a deal with Oman alone would not guarantee safe navigation or lead to an immediate reopening, citing an ongoing U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports as the primary obstacle.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei stated that the geographic coordinates for proposed inbound and outbound shipping routes have been agreed upon with Oman. He said a joint statement is in its final stages of review and would be issued if "certain third parties" do not obstruct the process, an apparent reference to the United States. Iranian officials, including Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, have repeatedly denied any direct negotiations with Washington over the strait, framing the discussions as strictly bilateral.

The potential agreement, described by regional officials as a temporary arrangement, is reportedly awaiting final approval from Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei....