Hormuz talks positive, Oman says, as Iran warns deal would not open strait
Oman and Iran are engaged in talks regarding the security of the Strait of Hormuz, though Iran maintains that a full reopening depends on US concessions. Tehran has linked the waterway's status to the resolution of broader geopolitical tensions and specific demands.
Why it matters
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical global energy chokepoint, and its continued closure significantly impacts international oil and gas markets.
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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