Iran and Oman near Strait of Hormuz deal

Iran said on Saturday that a deal with Oman on control of the Strait of Hormuz was close but would not be enough to free up the waterway, which remains a flashpoint for regional tensions.

The strait is a vital shipping route for oil, carrying about 20% of the world’s crude. Iran has repeatedly threatened to disrupt traffic there in response to U.S. sanctions and regional conflicts, including its proxy wars in Yemen and against Israel. Oman, which shares a border with Iran and has historically acted as a mediator, has been negotiating with Tehran to ease tensions and prevent accidental clashes. But Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, told state media that while a deal on maritime security with Oman was near, it would not automatically reopen the strait to full traffic. Ships have been targeted in recent months, including a drone attack on a tanker linked to Israel in April and a suspected Iranian strike on a UAE-owned ship in May.

The UAE confirmed on Friday that Iran had hit another vessel in the strait, marking the latest in a string of incidents. The targeted ship, a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker, was damaged but not sunk. Iran has denied responsibility for some attacks but claimed others as retaliation for Israeli strikes on its nuclear scientists and proxies. Western powers have blamed Iran for a series of maritime incidents since 2019, when it began breaching the 2015 nuclear deal by enriching uranium beyond limits. The U.S. has sent warships to the region, including an aircraft carrier, to deter escalation.

The looming deal with Oman could reduce direct confrontations, but it won’t resolve deeper conflicts. Iran still holds leverage over shipping lanes, and its proxies in Yemen and Lebanon could resume attacks if diplomacy fails. The UAE and other Gulf states are balancing deterrence with dialogue, wary of provoking Iran further. For now, the strait remains a tinderbox—one misstep could send global oil prices soaring and drag the region into wider conflict. The world is watching to see if Oman’s mediation can break the deadlock, or if another crisis is just over the horizon.