Strait of Hormuz reopening moves a step closer
Efforts to restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz moved closer to a breakthrough on Aug. 6, as Iran announced further progress in talks with Oman on a new maritime route through the strategic waterway, Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports, citing Al-Jazeera.
Iran said it had reached agreement with Oman on the geographical coordinates of the proposed shipping route, bringing negotiations to the final drafting stage. Officials described the understanding as being "on the verge of being finalized" but cautioned that it would not immediately restore normal navigation, saying the broader conflict and security concerns remain unresolved.
The latest announcement follows progress reported a day earlier, when Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Tehran and Muscat had reached agreement on nearly all outstanding issues, including the entry and exit routes for maritime traffic, and were preparing a joint statement.
Negotiations between Washington and Tehran are continuing in parallel. U.S. Vice President JD Vance acknowledged that the talks have been "messy" and involve difficult negotiations but said he remained confident they would ultimately produce an agreement favorable to the United States.
Despite the diplomatic progress, commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains sharply reduced. Maritime intelligence firm Windward said only 12 vessels transited the waterway in the 24 hours ending Wednesday, compared with about 140 vessels a day before the conflict began.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Tajikistan, Iran, and Afghanistan agreed to launch a joint road transport corridor.
