Iran and Oman Are Close to a Shipping Deal — But That Won't Reopen the Strait of Hormuz on Its Own
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei confirmed on August 10, 2026, that talks between Iran and Oman on creating a safe shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz are still going, but he stressed that a deal between the two countries would not, by itself, reopen the waterway. IRNA
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow channel between Iran and Oman through which a large share of the world's oil and commercial goods travel by sea. When security there is disrupted, the effects ripple through global energy markets and trade.
Senior Iranian officials have been signaling that the negotiations are in their "final stages," as Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on August 2. Al Jazeera By August 8, both Araghchi and a separate Iranian statement described the two sides as "very close" to an agreement on a new, temporary shipping route through the strait. Reuters IRNA
The key catch, repeated across several Iranian statements, is that an agreement with Oman is necessary but not enough to reopen the strait. Baghaei made this point on August 3, drawing a clear line between the talks with Oman and the broader set of conditions that Tehran says must also be met. IRNA On August 10, he said reopening depends on "the removal of conditions imposed on Iran and the region as a result of US-Israeli military action." IRNA
That phrasing ties the strait's status directly to the aftermath of recent military conflict. A July 13 Iranian Foreign Ministry statement accused the United States of military aggression against Iran, saying it caused insecurity to return to the strait and disrupted international shipping. Iranian MFA Baghaei reinforced this on August 2, saying the Strait of Hormuz will "never return to the situation that existed before the war" and that the agreement with Oman does not change that position. IRNA
The diplomatic channel between Tehran and Muscat has been the main route for addressing the strait's status. A joint statement on June 23 saw both countries commit to keeping the Strait of Hormuz "a safe and secure waterway." Iranian MFA That statement set the starting point for later rounds of negotiation, with Oman acting as both a direct participant and, in effect, a go-between for Iran and the wider world whose shipping traffic depends on the passage.
The talks have moved through clear phases over the past two months. The June 23 joint statement established a shared position. Araghchi's August 2 description of "final stages" suggested the practical and political outlines of a deal were largely settled. By August 8, the language had shifted to "very close," with the added note that Iran would not open the waterway on its own. The August 10 statement from Baghaei confirmed the talks are continuing while sharpening the link to outside conditions, namely the removal of measures tied to US-Israeli military action.
The broader context here is that Iran is keeping two things separate: the agreement it can reach with Oman, and the decision to actually let ships through again. The Oman track produces a plan for a shipping route. The decision to put that plan into action sits behind a set of conditions that involve other countries. This setup lets Tehran point to a diplomatic achievement, a nearly finished deal with a respected neighbor, while keeping control over whether the strait actually reopens.
For companies that move goods through the strait, the difference matters. A signed Iran-Oman agreement would not, on its own, allow vessels to resume normal passage. The conditions Tehran has attached, removing measures tied to US-Israeli military action, are not something Oman can deliver alone. They involve Washington and potentially Tel Aviv, neither of which is part of the Oman talks. The result is a two-track situation: one agreement that can be completed, and a separate set of demands whose timeline and process remain unclear in the public record.
Baghaei's August 10 remarks, coming two days after a Reuters report that a deal was imminent, also work to manage expectations. They dial back the idea that an agreement is right around the corner while confirming the Oman talks are still active. By stressing both the continuation and the preconditions, Iran is controlling how much information it releases, showing enough progress to stay credible without giving up the leverage that comes from leaving key conditions unresolved.
