Iran Says Progress Made in Oman Talks on Strait of Hormuz

Reuters

The Strait of Hormuz.

Iran said on Sunday it made progress in talks with Oman on operational mechanisms to ensure the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, stressing there has been no change in maritime traffic through the strategic waterway.

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said several rounds of talks were held in Tehran on Friday and Saturday between Iranian and Omani deputy foreign ministers.

“The two sides exchanged views on common principles and operational mechanisms for the safe passage of ships in the Strait of Hormuz,” Baqaei said, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.

He described the talks as “productive,” saying progress had been made during the discussions.

Baqaei said the Omani delegation left Tehran on Saturday evening, and that technical and political consultations between the two countries remain ongoing.

The Strait of Hormuz has remained at the centre of heightened regional tensions since the United States and Israel launched a military campaign against Iran on 28 February 2026. In June, Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding, brokered through Qatari and Pakistani mediation, which included a ceasefire and paved the way for negotiations on a comprehensive agreement to end the conflict.

However, U.S. President Donald Trump declared the ceasefire effectively over on 8 July following a renewed escalation in hostilities.

Washington has called on Tehran to end attacks on commercial shipping and guarantee freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran, meanwhile, has maintained that vessel movements through the strategically important waterway should be regulated under a mechanism administered by Tehran along its coastline.

President Trump directed the U.S. military not to conduct new strikes in Iran on Friday, breaking a nearly two-week streak of daily attacks, Axios reported on Saturday, citing sources familiar with the decision.

Iran passed a second consecutive night without reported U.S. airstrikes after two weeks of sustained bombardment, as Pakistan and Qatar intensified mediation efforts to secure a broader de-escalation between Washington and Tehran.

The pause follows two weeks of U.S. attacks targeting military infrastructure, coastal surveillance systems, missile and drone facilities, naval assets and logistics sites, according to the US Central Command (CENTCOM).



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