DUBAI/WASHINGTON/CAIRO: Iran said Sunday that an agreement with Oman on new shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz had reached its final stages, but stressed that the strategic waterway would not fully reopen until the United States met Tehran’s other conditions.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the agreement between Iran and Oman was nearing completion. However, he reiterated that the deal alone would not be enough to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran Links Reopening to US Actions
According to Iran’s Mehr news agency, Araghchi said the agreement would define the new shipping lanes that vessels would use after the United States fulfils Iran’s conditions and the Strait is reopened.
His comments came after a US official told Reuters on Friday that Washington expected an agreement between Iran and Oman soon.
The US official said the arrangement could allow normal commercial shipping through the strategic waterway to resume.
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No Direct Iran-US Talks Underway
Araghchi said Iran and the United States are currently not engaged in direct negotiations.
He added that Tehran would not enter talks with Washington as long as the United States continues to violate an interim agreement signed in June.
However, messages are being exchanged between the two sides through intermediaries, according to the Iranian foreign minister.
The comments suggest that indirect diplomatic channels remain open despite the absence of direct negotiations.
US Could Lift Blockade on Iranian Ports
A US official previously said Washington would lift its blockade of Iranian ports once an agreement restoring unrestricted commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz was announced.
The official added that US actions would depend on Iran’s implementation of its commitments.
This indicates that both sides are linking their respective steps to actions taken by the other side.
Trump Says US Is Watching Iran
US President Donald Trump told Axios that Washington was taking a cautious approach toward Iran.
Trump said the United States was only “semi-negotiating” with Tehran and was monitoring Iran’s economic situation.
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He pointed to Iran’s high inflation and financial difficulties as factors being watched by Washington.
Iran Seeks Compensation and Sanctions Relief
Iran has previously demanded compensation for damage caused during the conflict and called for the removal of US sanctions.
Tehran also wants the US blockade on Iranian shipping to end.
The United States launched air strikes against Iran in late February, saying its objective was to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and to reduce threats from missiles and regional proxies.
The two sides later agreed to a ceasefire in June. However, Washington reinstated a blockade on Iranian shipping in the Gulf in July, which Tehran described as a violation of the ceasefire.
Shipping Routes Remain a Key Issue
The proposed Iran-Oman arrangement would establish new shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz.
Sources have indicated that the proposed system could give Iran greater control over vessels entering the Gulf through the strait. Shipping companies have raised concerns about whether such an arrangement would be practical.
The latest developments suggest that the technical agreement between Iran and Oman may be close to completion, but the broader political conditions remain unresolved.
Hormuz Reopening Could Affect Global Energy Markets
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important energy routes. Before the current disruption, around one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments passed through the waterway.
A full reopening could therefore ease pressure on global shipping and energy markets.
However, Iran’s latest statement makes clear that reaching an agreement with Oman does not automatically mean the Strait will reopen.
The next stage will depend on whether Washington and Tehran can reach an understanding on the wider conditions linked to the waterway, sanctions and the blockade of Iranian ports.
