Iran says deal on Strait of Hormuz is close but not enough to open waterway

Iran reported on Saturday that a deal with Oman regarding control of the Strait of Hormuz was nearing completion, although it would not suffice to reopen the waterway. The United Arab Emirates reported that Iran had attacked another vessel in the region. The agreement between Iran and Oman over the strait, which separates the two nations, is considered crucial to a broader deal to end the ongoing war.

This conflict originated from U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, leading Tehran to assert dominance over the critical energy export route. A U.S. official, who wished to remain anonymous, stated on Friday that Washington anticipated an imminent agreement between Iran and Oman, enabling normal oil traffic to resume.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi indicated that Iran and Oman were "very close" to reaching a consensus on a new shipping route through the strait, but reopening it would hinge on additional conditions, such as U.S. compensation to Iran. Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr, the secretary of Iran’s top national security body, outlined further demands, including an end to U.S. threats against Iran, halting aggression towards Iran and its allies in Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, and Iraq, lifting the blockade and sanctions imposed on Iran, and the release of Iranian assets.