Iran says Oman deal is in 'final stages,' but US must act first to open Strait of Hormuz
A US official said on Friday that an agreement between Iran and Oman was close and could reopen the strait, which carried a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments before the war.
Iran announced on Sunday that a deal with Oman to establish new shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz was nearing completion, but emphasized that the strait would only reopen once the United States fulfilled specific conditions. According to a US official, an agreement between Iran and Oman was close to being finalized and could soon facilitate the reopening of the waterway, which previously carried a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.
However, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the reopening would only occur if additional conditions were met, including US compensation for Iran's attacks and an end to sanctions.
The agreement would outline the new shipping lanes once the US meets these conditions and the strait is reopened, as stated by Araghchi, according to Iran's Mehr news agency. Iran and the US have not engaged in direct talks and are instead relying on intermediaries for communication. Iran is seeking US compensation and the lifting of sanctions as part of the deal.
The United States launched airstrikes on Iran in late February, claiming it aimed to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons or threatening the region with missiles or proxies. In June, Washington and Tehran reached a ceasefire but reimposed a blockade on Iranian shipping in July, which Iran deemed a breach of the truce.
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