US says deal on reopening Hormuz close as Iran, Oman hold ‘positive’ talks

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio says progress has been made in talks between Oman and Iran over the Strait of Hormuz, raising hopes that one of the key sticking points in efforts to reduce tensions between Washington and Tehran could soon be resolved.

Rubio on Tuesday said Washington was involved in the negotiations and that progress had been made, but no final agreement had yet been reached.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said an agreement could be reached as early as “today or tomorrow”, while diplomatic sources in Tehran also suggested a deal was possible by the end of Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said talks with Oman had been “positive” and were continuing. He said the discussions were focused on establishing safe inbound and outbound shipping lanes through the strategic waterway.

The Strait of Hormuz has become one of the main sticking points in negotiations between the US and Iran following months of conflict. Officials are seeking to agree on a mechanism that would allow shipping to resume safely through the waterway.

Oman has been mediating the discussions, with US officials saying Washington is involved in the negotiations while Iran maintains it is negotiating with Oman rather than directly with the US.

Rubio said the Strait of Hormuz remains open and vessels are continuing to transit the waterway, but Washington is working on an agreement that would allow more ships to pass through safely in the short term before negotiations move to broader issues, including what he described as the “ultimate deal”, the denuclearisation of Iran.

Baghaei said the talks had been assessed positively at both the political and technical levels, although differences remain over how the strait would operate. Iranian officials say outstanding issues include the mechanism for reopening the waterway, maritime service fees and other security arrangements.