Iran and Oman reached an understanding on a temporary shipping corridor through the Strait of Hormuz, clearing a major hurdle to reopening the critical waterway, but Tehran says implementation depends on the United States meeting a series of demands.
The proposal would create two-way shipping lanes through the waterway, including a route for vessels entering the Persian Gulf that runs entirely through Iranian waters, according to Iran’s defense-linked Defa Press outlet. Part of the outbound route would also pass through Iranian waters.
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While the recent agreement does not immediately open the strait, Iranian and Omani officials ultimately intend to replace the temporary deal with a permanent maritime traffic system after further negotiations.
Iran has tied implementation to U.S. compliance with terms Tehran says were included in a June memorandum of understanding that momentarily paved the way toward ending the conflict before ultimately crumbling. Iran is demanding that Washington lift its naval blockade of Iranian ports and vessels, release Tehran’s frozen assets, refrain from imposing sanctions, and halt further U.S. military escalation in the region.
Tehran wants Washington’s steps to be “visible and verifiable” before it implements the new arrangement with Oman, according to Defa Press.
The demand puts the emerging maritime agreement at odds with President Donald Trump’s strategy of intensifying economic pressure on Iran while holding off, at least temporarily, another round of U.S. strikes.
The Trump administration has recently shifted toward choking Iran economically, expanding sanctions, and threatening countries and companies that continue doing business with Iran.
Recent reports suggest Washington plans to stick to a financial strategy rather than returning to military operations. Axios reported Secretary of State Marco Rubio told his foreign counterparts the U.S. plans to refrain from striking Iran until after the midterm elections.
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Under the latest Iran-Oman proposal, a southern route through Omani waters that the U.S. has encouraged ships to use would eventually close. Iran and Oman would begin negotiations on a permanent replacement for the maritime traffic system that existed before the war, a process Iranian officials estimate could take 30 to 60 days.
The Washington Examiner reached out to the White House for comment.
