Iran says deal on Strait of Hormuz is close but not enough to open the waterway
- By Reuters -
- Aug 09, 2026
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, and the United Arab Emirates said Iran had hit another ship there.
Agreement between Iran and Oman over the strait, which separates the two countries, is seen as vital to a wider deal to end the war, which began with U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28 and led to Tehran establishing a chokehold over the major energy export route.
A U.S. official, who declined to be identified, said on Friday that Washington anticipated an agreement soon between Iran and Oman, so normal oil traffic could resume.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Iran and Oman were “very close” to an agreement on a new shipping route through the strait, but reopening it would depend on other conditions, including U.S. compensation to Iran.
The secretary of Iran’s top national security body, Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr, listed other demands including ending U.S. threats against Iran, stopping aggression against Iran and its Lebanese, Palestinian, Yemeni and Iraqi allies, lifting a blockade and sanctions on Iran and freeing Iranian assets.
OMAN REPORTS POSITIVE NEGOTIATIONS, CONDEMNS SHIP ATTACKS
Oman condemned what it described as repeated attacks on vessels while transiting the strait, without assigning blame, and said that negotiations with Iran on arrangements for shipping through Hormuz were “positive and constructive”.
“Oman stresses the importance of avoiding any actions that could affect these negotiations and the progress achieved in a manner that takes into account the interests of all parties,” the foreign ministry said.
Araqchi said the previous shipping traffic separation scheme through the strait was no longer acceptable to Tehran and Iran was discussing a temporary route with Oman while technical and legal issues surrounding a permanent route were resolved.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, a relative moderate, said he believed now was the best time for an agreement.
“There is cohesion, strength, and unity in the country, and as far as I know, Iran is considered victorious and powerful in this war,” Iranian news agencies quoted him as saying.
Read more: Oil prices drop as investors weigh potential Hormuz deal between Iran, Gulf states
Iran has reacted to the U.S. attacks by targeting U.S. bases in Gulf states and Jordan as well as striking shipping in the narrow strait, which carried a fifth of the world’s oil and gas shipments before the war.
The UAE said on Saturday that Iran had attacked a carrier affiliated with the UAE’s state oil company with a missile as it transited the Strait of Hormuz. No injuries were reported in the latest attacks on shipping there.
The UK maritime trade monitor UKMTO said a vessel had caught fire after being hit by an unknown projectile but the fire was put out and there was no reported environmental impact.
In recent weeks, the Trump administration has repeatedly signaled that a deal to open the strait could be close, only to have Iran deny that talks are under way. It was unclear whether the latest flurry of negotiations would yield a more lasting arrangement.