Emerging deal to reopen Hormuz recognizes Iran's control - 'The concession has already been made'
Iran and Oman are negotiating a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which would grant Iran significant control over maritime traffic. The agreement, which includes potential cargo fees, comes as the U.S. faces military and economic constraints that limit its ability to force a return to pre-war navigation status.
Why it matters
The deal represents a major geopolitical shift in the Persian Gulf, potentially legitimizing Iranian control over a critical global oil chokepoint.
Iran and Oman have been in talks for weeks on a plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and the agreement coming together would deliver a huge geopolitical win for Tehran.
A proposed deal between the two countries that sit on opposite ends of the narrow waterway would give Iran control over inbound traffic, sources told Reuters .
The U.S. and other countries in the Persian Gulf have insisted that the strait must return to its prewar status, when ships enjoyed total freedom of navigation.
But months of U.S.-Israeli bombardment failed to break Iran’s ability to threaten ships attempting to cross without its authorization, keeping Hormuz effectively closed and the Gulf’s oil supplies bottled up.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in