US expects deal soon on Strait of Hormuz; Sunni powers unite in defense pact

By Steve Holland and Timour Azhari WASHINGTON/RIYADH, Aug 7 (Reuters) - A U.S. official on Fridayreported progress between Iran and Oman that could soon reopen the Strait of Hormuz, potentially restoring oil exports that have been disrupted by the five-month-old U.S. war with Iran. The U.S. official, who declined to be identified, said Washington anticipated an agreement soon between the two…

al-monitor.com ·7d ago

A US official has reported progress in talks between Iran and Oman that could soon lead to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. According to the official, an agreement is expected soon, which would allow for the resumption of normal oil traffic and potentially restore oil and energy exports disrupted by the ongoing conflict. The US has stated that once a deal is announced to restore commercial shipping without impediments, it will lift the blockade of Iranian ports.

The development comes as Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan have signed a mutual defense agreement, which states that an armed attack on any of the three nations will be considered an attack against them all. The agreement was signed during a meeting in Saudi Arabia between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The US official emphasized that any US actions will be performance-based and tied to Iran's implementation of its commitments. According to Live Mint, the official said that once the deal is announced, the United States will lift the blockade of Iranian ports.

Brief written by urgent.news from Al-Monitor, Live Mint, CBS News, Jerusalem Post, Middle East Eye — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.