The US is seeking to announce an interim agreement on Hormuz as early as Wednesday, but Iran insists negotiations are being conducted exclusively with Oman.
Key Developments
- Axios reports the US hopes to announce a temporary Hormuz agreement as early as Wednesday.
- Iran maintains negotiations are exclusively with Oman and denies holding talks with Washington.
- The proposed arrangement would establish separate inbound and outbound shipping lanes through Iranian and Omani waters.
- Israeli officials reportedly question the Trump administration’s diplomatic approach, accusing Washington of pursuing an agreement “at any cost.”
The United States is reportedly close to announcing an interim agreement aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz and restoring the ceasefire with Iran, but Tehran continues to insist that all negotiations are taking place solely with Oman and not Washington.
According to Axios, citing US and regional sources, the agreement could be announced as early as Wednesday following weeks of negotiations involving Oman, Qatar, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United States.
However, Iranian officials have repeatedly rejected claims that Washington is directly involved in the negotiations, describing the talks as a strictly bilateral process between Tehran and Muscat.
Temporary Maritime Arrangement
Axios reported that the proposed agreement would establish a 60-day temporary framework governing navigation through the strategic waterway.
Under the reported plan, ships entering the Persian Gulf would travel through a northern lane in Iranian waters, while vessels leaving the Gulf would transit a southern route through Omani waters coordinated with Iran.
The proposal also reportedly calls for clearing naval mines from the central shipping lane within 30 days, allowing the route to eventually accommodate two-way commercial traffic under a longer-term agreement.
No transit tolls or shipping fees would be imposed during the temporary period, according to the report.
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Iran Rejects US Role
Tehran, however, continues to reject Washington’s portrayal of the negotiations.
A source close to Iran’s negotiating team told Fars News Agency that discussions over future arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz are taking place only with Oman.
The source said US military pressure and threats had failed to alter Iran’s position and argued that American interference had complicated efforts to reach an agreement.
“If the United States and some of its partners had not obstructed Iran-Oman negotiations, the talks would have reached an outcome in a short period of time,” the source said.
A senior Iranian political and security source also told Al Mayadeen that Iran is not negotiating with the United States, stressing that the Strait of Hormuz lies within the territorial waters of Iran and Oman.
“Our negotiations are with our permanent neighbor, Oman,” the source said, adding that “the United States has always been a disruptive and destabilizing force.”
The source also warned that whether the Strait remains open depends on broader regional developments, saying it will not fully reopen while US military pressure against Iran continues.
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Israeli Skepticism
Meanwhile, Israeli officials have reportedly expressed growing concern over Washington’s diplomatic efforts.
According to Israel’s Channel 12, senior officials believe President Donald Trump is pursuing an agreement with Tehran “at any cost.”
One Israeli official described Trump’s approach by saying, “The distance between peace and war with Trump is the distance between the letters T, R and U on the keyboard,” suggesting US policy can shift rapidly.
The broadcaster also reported that Israel has not been directly briefed by Washington on the Hormuz negotiations and has instead relied largely on indirect channels for information.
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Diplomacy or Escalation
The renewed diplomatic push follows Trump’s decision to postpone a planned large-scale military campaign against Iran in favor of allowing more time for negotiations, while warning that military action remains an option if diplomacy fails.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged Tuesday that negotiations over maritime access through the Strait of Hormuz have not yet been finalized but said he hoped an agreement would be reached “very shortly.”
(Axios, Fars, Israeli Media, AA, Al Mayadeen, PC)
Iran should not back down, neither should Hamas. We all know who the real terrorists are: Israelica.
They’re not happy unless they’re murdering children, babies, elderly, the handicapped, pregnant women…
and/or raping male detainees: men AND boys.
Religion is a mental illness.
Stop feeding the crazy!