Iran and Oman Near Hormuz Shipping Deal Even as Violence Continues, With Tehran Rejecting Direct US Talks

Iran and Oman announced on August 5 that they have agreed on the geographical coordinates of a proposed temporary shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz, with a joint statement in the final drafting stage, according to Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the two countries are very close to a deal on managing the waterway, though he warned that reopening the vital strait would still be subject to other conditions, including compensation from the United States. Oman's Foreign Ministry confirmed on August 8 that ongoing negotiations are proceeding in a positive and constructive atmosphere but stressed that Iran's continued attacks on vessels transiting the strait put progress at risk. The proposed mechanism would regulate commercial vessel movement, with ships entering through Iranian waters and exiting through Omani waters, representing what Tehran calls a new model different from the 60-year-old practice of unfettered passage. Iranian officials have made clear this is not a full reopening of the strait. President Trump said over the weekend he had called off what would have been the largest US military operation since World War II at the request of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Iran, claiming a deal is imminent. He told reporters on Air Force One that negotiations between the parties were set to commence Monday. However, Iran's foreign ministry said on August 8 that no direct talks with the US are taking place, only message exchanges via intermediaries, and that the process should not be called negotiations. Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi accused Washington of breaching the Strait of Hormuz clause in the June memorandum of understanding, justifying Iran's response. Tehran has set six conditions for full reopening: complete US military withdrawal from the region, sanctions relief, blockade lift, and war reparations. The disconnect between Trump's optimistic framing and Iran's public posture sugges