Hormuz talks positive, Oman says, as Iran warns deal would not open strait
Oman and Iran are engaged in positive talks regarding the security of the Strait of Hormuz, though Iran insists a full reopening depends on meeting specific conditions. Tehran continues to link the waterway's status to the resolution of grievances with the United States.
Why it matters
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical global energy chokepoint; its continued closure or restricted status significantly impacts international oil and gas prices.
Image source, Getty Images By Jack Burgess and Bernd Debusmann Jr , White House reporter Published 39 minutes ago Oman has said positive talks have been taking place with Iran over an agreement to secure a shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz, as Tehran warned that any deal would not see an immediate reopening of the vital waterway.
Both sides suggested on Saturday that discussions were progressing, but a timeline on any deal being finalised remained unclear. Oman's foreign ministry warned against attacks on shipping that could hamper that.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said talks were in their final stages but the reopening of the strait remained "subject to other conditions".
Tehran has effectively blockaded the waterway, through which around a fifth of the world's oil and natural gas usually flows, since the US and Israel began attacking it in February.
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