Iran-Oman deal to reopen Strait of Hormuz close: reports

Iran and Oman are reportedly close to finalising an agreement that would reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that has been effectively closed since February. Under the emerging deal, Tehran would exercise control over ships entering the Gulf through the strait, while Oman would oversee outbound traffic, according to multiple media reports citing sources with knowledge of the talks.

However, Iranian sources have pushed back against US President Donald Trump’s claims that an agreement is imminent, telling Reuters that important details still need to be resolved. One source said the “concession has already been made regarding some form of control over Hormuz,” but added that reopening the waterway would hinge on the US lifting its blockade of Iranian ports.

What the deal entails

Iran has been clear that the strait will not operate as it did before the conflict – an open international waterway carrying roughly a fifth of the world’s oil and gas supply. The country is seeking greater control over the flow of maritime traffic, a significant shift from its previous posture. Oman, which sits on the opposite side of the narrow strait, is expected to manage outbound shipping, giving Tehran oversight of inbound vessels for the first time.

Trump told Fox News earlier this week that talks over the strait were “moving along nicely” and that the waterway “is going to be open very soon.” But the Iranian sources’ comments suggest that there are still hurdles, including the blockade issue, which could delay any final agreement.

Sticking points and regional pressure

Key details are yet to be agreed, and Tehran’s demand for the lifting of the US blockade remains a major sticking point. The deal is seen as one of the biggest concessions Iran has secured in the conflict, but it is not yet done. The reports have not been officially confirmed by either government.

The talks come amid heightened tension across the region. In Yemen, the Iran-backed Houthis said they attacked two Saudi oil tankers with ballistic missiles yesterday, marking their eighth and ninth attacks on Saudi vessels since their maritime blockade began last month. Saudi authorities have not commented.

Shipping data shows that traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab-el-Mandeb strait – key chokepoints for global energy supplies – decreased significantly yesterday, reflecting the ongoing volatility.

Israel-Lebanon border flare-up

On the Israel-Lebanon border, two Israeli reserve soldiers were killed and four seriously injured in an explosion in southern Lebanon this morning, the military said. This marks the first Israeli deaths since a fragile truce with the Iran-backed Hezbollah group was established in June. An Israeli military official told the Associated Press that “an explosion was detonated” when the soldiers entered a site in the village of Majdal Zoun, and the nature of the explosive is under review.

In a separate incident, at least one person was killed and 12 wounded in an Israeli strike in the southern Lebanese town of Tebnine, according to Lebanon’s health ministry. The Israeli military had earlier ordered residents of the nearby village of Mansouri to evacuate – the first such order in more than a month – saying it was responding to a Hezbollah ceasefire violation.

These escalations come despite ongoing US-backed talks in Rome aimed at ending hostilities. Israel requested that yesterday’s talks with Lebanon end three hours early, with its delegation head citing “misleading leaks” by the Lebanese side, according to an AFP source. The talks are expected to resume today for a third and final day.

What to watch

The next 48 hours will be critical. If the Rome talks fail, further escalation is possible. And while the Iran-Oman deal appears close, any final agreement is likely to hinge on Washington’s willingness to address Tehran’s blockade demands. That could take time, given the Trump administration’s own rhetoric and the broader geopolitical stakes.

For now, world markets and shipping companies are watching the strait with trepidation. A reopening would ease fears of supply disruptions, but as the sources made clear, it is not yet a done deal.