Iran07 August, 20263 min read
US, Iran, and Oman Near Interim Deal To Restore Shipping Through Strait of Hormuz
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Iran and Oman near interim agreement to reopen Strait of Hormuz shipping. United States seeks progress to ease disruption and resume talks with Tehran.
Hormuz talks, 60-day plan
The United States, Iran and Oman are reportedly close to an interim agreement aimed at restoring commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz after months of disruption linked to the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran. Negotiations, mediated primarily by Oman, have focused on a temporary 60-day arrangement to allow commercial shipping to resume while broader political issues remain under discussion, with ships entering the Persian Gulf using a northern navigation lane through Iranian waters and ships leaving using a southern lane through Omani waters. The proposal is also described as reviving a 17 June ceasefire framework, reducing risks to global energy supplies, and creating space for broader diplomatic negotiations.
One key unresolved issue is governance after the interim period expires, as negotiators have yet to agree on how the strait would be administered once the 60-day arrangement ends. The Business Standard frames the stakes as a concern for global energy markets because a significant share of the world’s seaborne crude oil and liquefied natural gas exports passes through the narrow waterway.
Control, fees, and denials
Iran has emphasised its role as a coastal state bordering the strait and argued that it should retain a role in managing navigation alongside Oman, while Iranian officials have denied engaging in direct negotiations with Washington. The Business Standard says Washington argues that no country should control access to the shipping lanes or require vessels to obtain Tehran's approval before transiting the waterway, while Iran seeks to maintain regulatory authority over waters adjacent to its coastline and supports joint management with Oman. In a separate account, Al-Jazeera Net reports that American officials told ABC the Iran-Oman agreement would be limited to 60 days, with a long-term agreement sought afterward and continuing negotiations on the nuclear deal with Tehran.
Al-Jazeera Net also says the Trump administration will not accept Iran charging any passage fees under the agreement, or having the right to prevent any party from using the waterway, and it quotes a Wall Street Journal account that the draft provides temporary routes for arriving ships near Iran and departing ships near Oman. The Business Standard adds that even if shipping resumes, US sanctions could complicate implementation because shipping companies may be unable to coordinate with or make payments to Iranian authorities unless Washington issues exemptions or other authorisations.
What could follow next
The Business Standard says the reported proposal is designed primarily to restore navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and reinforce the June ceasefire framework, while broader regional issues—including Iran's nuclear programme and the conflict involving Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon—would remain unresolved. It also notes that Houthi attacks affecting shipping in the Red Sea would remain part of the wider picture, meaning any agreement would likely be viewed as a limited confidence-building measure rather than a comprehensive settlement of regional tensions. Al-Jazeera Net adds that American officials told ABC the 60-day arrangement would be followed by efforts in Washington to exit the costly military confrontation with Tehran, with a ceasefire for a month or two dedicated to negotiations on the Iranian nuclear file.
On the Iranian side, Al-Jazeera Net reports that Masoud Pezeshkian denied any rift between his government and the Supreme Leader or the armed forces, saying “there is no rift at all between the armed forces, the government, and the diplomatic apparatus regarding the war and negotiations.” The Business Standard concludes that market participants would watch closely for signs that any agreement is being implemented successfully before assuming disruptions have ended.