Iran says new Hormuz route agreed with Oman

Iran and Oman have agreed a route for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz and are putting the final touches on arrangements for jointly managing the waterway, Tehran’s foreign ministry said Wednesday.

But official sources briefing Iranian media stressed that any reopening of the strait would depend on the United States fulfilling what Tehran sees as its commitment to end its own naval blockade of Iran’s ports.

Iran has seized de facto control of the strait, a strategic waterway for global energy trade, since the United States and Israel launched their war against the country on February 28.

“The geographical coordinates of the route envisaged by the two sides have been agreed upon and, if certain third parties do not obstruct the process, the joint statement of the two countries, containing the main considerations and points of agreement, is also in the final review and drafting stage,” spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said, according to state news IRNA.

According to the report, Baqaei told journalists that talks with Oman were moving forward, but that even if an understanding was reached, it would not mean that the strait had become safe for all passing vessels.

“The factors making the Strait of Hormuz insecure still exist on the part of the United States, particularly the naval blockade and other aggressive and threatening actions against Iran and its interests,” he said.

Meanwhile, oil prices ticked higher on Wednesday after the Iran-aligned Houthi movement in Yemen said it had fired on a Saudi-flagged tanker in the Red Sea, the latest attack on Middle East shipping that has disrupted global energy supplies.

But global crude prices remain close to their lowest levels since early July, having plunged sharply over the past two days after Trump called off fresh attacks on Iran citing new talks he said could end the conflict.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump told Fox News overnight that talks were “moving along nicely” and “an all-day negotiation” had taken place on Tuesday.

The Strait of Hormuz “is going to be open very soon,” Trump added. “If they back out again, they are going to get hit really hard.”

Over the weekend Trump cited the negotiations as the reason for a decision to call off plans for “massive attacks” on Iran, a pattern he has repeated numerous times throughout the war.

The senior Iranian source downplayed ?the suggestion that a deal would be finalised quickly, noting that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi was on holiday.

“Talks are continuing, but it is too early to say that a deal with Oman has been finalised,” the senior Iranian source said.

An agreement that gives Iran any control over access to the strait would mean the war launched by the United States and Israel had resulted in a major shift in the balance of regional power in Tehran’s favour. Before the war, the strait was freely open to all ships with no fees.