Middle East07 August, 20263 min read
Donald Trump Says Iran-Oman Deal Could Reopen Strait Of Hormuz Tomorrow Or Next Day
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Iran and Oman nearing final framework to manage Strait of Hormuz traffic. The deal would be temporary/narrow, not a full reopening of the strait.
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Hormuz talks near deal
President Donald Trump said a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz could come “tomorrow or the next day” as he told reporters that “A lot of progress has been made.” Iran and Oman are inched toward an agreement on the critical waterway, and the Associated Press reported that regional officials said the potential deal would be a temporary solution tied to the agreement reached between the U.S. and Iran in June that ultimately collapsed. The CBS News live updates also said Iran and Oman were close to agreeing on new arrangements for the Strait of Hormuz, but not for a full reopening, according to Iran's state news agency.
In the same CBS News update, Houthi missile attacks killed at least 58 Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces in missile and drone attacks on Thursday, with a military source speaking on condition of anonymity. The ABC News report said Iran’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the agreement with Oman to manage maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is in its “final phase of review” and urged actors to “not obstruct” the drafting work of the text.
Iran warns it won’t fully reopen
Gulf News reported that Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the Iran-Oman arrangement would not, by itself, reopen the Strait of Hormuz to normal commercial shipping and that the United States must first meet political and economic conditions before free navigation can resume. In that same Gulf News account, Gharibabadi rejected the idea that the Iran-Oman arrangement merely implements Article 5 of the June memorandum, saying “No,” and adding that “Article 5 only established guiding principles, not a final operational plan.” The Washington Post said Iranian officials warned the deal will not fully reopen the crucial waterway, injecting “fresh uncertainty” into negotiations Trump previously described positively.
The Washington Post also quoted a U.S. official saying “Any temporary routes will be without any impediments — meaning no approvals or permissions and no tolls or charges,” while noting the official spoke on condition of anonymity. CBS News added that Trump insisted the Strait of Hormuz is “sort of open right now,” while he suggested an announcement could be made soon.
Shipping fees, security, and pressure
The Washington Post reported that under the setup Iran and Oman have said they agreed on, incoming ships would enter through Iranian territorial waters and outgoing ships would exit through Omani waters, which Tehran said would formalize Iranian control of the waterway. The Washington Post also said maritime law forbids countries from imposing tolls for the use of a naturally occurring strait, while Iranian officials said during previous stages of the conflict that they would look to charge a service fee. Gulf News reported that leading global shipping organisations urged the United Nations and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to oppose any attempt to impose tolls or service fees on vessels using the strait, warning that transit charges would create a dangerous precedent and increase transport costs.
In the CBS News live updates, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the rebels attacked government positions with ballistic missiles and drones in response to what he described as a Saudi-backed military buildup, as the attacks killed at least 58 government troops and injured dozens. The ABC News report said the agreement “does not imply that the strait is going to be secure” because “security factors persist,” citing “the naval blockage and other aggressive and threatening actions” by the United States.