TEHRAN — Iran says it is close to reaching an agreement with Oman on the use of the Strait of Hormuz, but has warned that the strategic waterway will not be fully reopened unless the United States meets a series of demands from Tehran.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said negotiations with Oman had reached their final stage. The proposed agreement would establish two new routes for ships using the strait, although Iran says the routes would only become operational once Washington addresses its concerns.
Among Tehran’s demands is compensation for damage caused by attacks on Iranian territory. Iran has also called on the United States to end what it describes as threats against the country, stop Israeli attacks on Iran, Lebanon and Palestine, lift sanctions, end restrictions on Iranian ports and release Iranian assets frozen abroad.
Iran and the United States have yet to begin direct negotiations. Araqchi said messages between the two sides are currently being exchanged through intermediaries.
US President Donald Trump, however, has said Washington remains in communication with Tehran, although comprehensive negotiations have not yet taken place.
The dispute follows months of escalating tensions between Iran and the United States and its allies. Washington has said its military actions against Iran were aimed at preventing Tehran from developing nuclear weapons and reducing its ability to threaten regional security.
The two sides reached a ceasefire in June, but tensions resurfaced in July after the United States imposed renewed restrictions affecting Iranian shipping routes. Tehran accused Washington of violating the terms of the ceasefire.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most strategically important maritime routes, linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the wider Arabian Sea. Any prolonged disruption to shipping through the strait could have significant consequences for international trade and energy markets.
A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Washington would lift restrictions affecting Iranian ports once an agreement to restore maritime traffic is formally announced.
However, the official indicated that the removal of the restrictions would depend on Tehran fulfilling the commitments contained in any agreement reached between the two sides.
For now, Iran maintains that the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz remains conditional on the United States meeting its demands, leaving the future of one of the world’s busiest energy corridors closely tied to the broader diplomatic standoff between Tehran and Washington.
KIGALI TIMES