Tehran, Aug 2026 : Iran has described its ongoing discussions with Oman over the safe movement of ships through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz as positive, as diplomatic efforts continue to ease tensions surrounding the key maritime passage. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said the talks were focused on identifying safe routes for ships while taking into account the sovereignty and national security concerns of both Iran and Oman, the two countries bordering the Strait. “These negotiations are being pursued as a dialogue between the two coastal countries of the Strait of Hormuz,” Baqaei said, according to Iran’s Tasnim News Agency. He explained that the discussions were aimed at determining safe return routes for vessels and establishing arrangements that would allow shipping traffic to operate while respecting the sovereign rights of both countries.
Baqaei said the negotiations had so far made progress at both the technical and political levels. Iran, he added, was working with Oman to establish mechanisms that could eventually help manage maritime traffic through the strategic waterway. However, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson stressed that no final decision had yet been reached.
He said the outcome of the negotiations would be announced once the discussions were formally concluded. The developments came as the United States indicated that an agreement with Iran could potentially be reached soon to facilitate the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Tuesday that Washington believed there was a possibility of reaching a deal with Tehran either the same day or the following day.
He said such an agreement could pave the way for the reopening of the Strait and help move the broader conflict towards a more normalised situation. Asked whether Iran would be permitted to impose a toll on ships passing through the waterway, Bessent said the principle would be “freedom of movement.” He also suggested that restoring maritime traffic could help ease pressure on global markets. According to Bessent, hundreds of vessels were currently affected by the disruption in the Gulf, and their movement could have an impact beyond the energy sector.
He pointed to commodities and industrial products, including fertilisers, refined petroleum products and industrial gases, as areas that could also benefit from improved shipping access. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, meanwhile, said Washington viewed the denuclearisation of Iran as the ultimate objective of its negotiations with Tehran. However, he described reopening the Strait of Hormuz as the immediate priority. “The denuclearisation of Iran is the ultimate deal,” Rubio told reporters, while emphasising that the Strait was the issue receiving immediate attention.
The latest developments highlight the importance of the Strait of Hormuz to regional stability and international shipping. Iran and Oman are now working to establish arrangements for safe maritime movement, while Washington continues to push for a broader diplomatic settlement. The final outcome of the talks could have significant implications for shipping, energy supplies and wider efforts to reduce tensions in the region. (The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)
