- A June agreement between the US and Iran aimed at ending the fighting and reopening the Strait of Hormuz collapsed.
- Iranian and Omani negotiators have finalized the draft deal to reopen the Strait and await final approval from Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei.
- Iran said it is in the final stage of drafting an agreement with Oman over the Strait of Hormuz, and Trump said a deal could be announced this week.
- The potential agreement would have ships enter the Persian Gulf through an Iranian-controlled route and exit through a route controlled by Oman, with service fees charged for providing security and preserving the maritime environment.
Iran and Oman are nearing a draft deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, with final approval pending from Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, two regional officials told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the move as part of a potential joint statement that will be issued “if certain parties do not obstruct this process” apparently referencing the United States, and said negotiators have kept the talks discreet to avoid public snags.3456
Analysts described the pact as a “temporary solution” to the strait dispute and tied it to a June US-Iran agreement that aimed at ending the fighting and reopening the waterway but ultimately collapsed. The potential deal would “pave the way for the US and Iran to resume negotiations on Tehran's nuclear program.” and would be presented as a confidence-building step after months of stalled diplomacy.12
Officials said the proposed plan would allow ships to enter the Persian Gulf through an Iranian-controlled route and exit through a route controlled by Oman, with service fees charged for providing security and preserving the maritime environment. “ships enter the Persian Gulf through an Iranian-controlled route and exit through a route controlled by Oman.” “Service fees would be charged for providing security and preserving the maritime environment.” Washington has warned against any arrangement that would let Iran collect fees. “The US has said it is strongly opposed to any arrangement that would see Iran charge fees.”
Trump, asked by reporters on Tuesday about a report that an announcement could come this week, said: “It could happen. Tomorrow or the next day,” and “A lot of progress has been made.” His comments reflected renewed optimism after months of negotiation that had previously yielded a collapsed deal in June.
That progress, if sustained, could set the stage for renewed talks on Iran's broader nuclear program and regional security arrangements.
“The draft deal, finalized by negotiators, awaits approval from Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei. It is a temporary solution tied to a collapsed June US-Iran agreement, and would charge service fees for ships using Iranian- and Omani-controlled routes.”
