Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi confirmed that negotiations with Oman regarding the Strait of Hormuz have reached their final stages. According to state media, the discussions are focused on establishing a new mechanism for managing the strategic waterway. Esmail Baghaei, a spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, emphasized that these talks are not intended to change the operational status of the Strait, clarifying that the waterway is neither being opened nor closed as a result of the potential agreement.

The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical global chokepoint, as approximately 20 percent of the world’s oil consumption passes through the region. While the specific details of the proposed route or mechanism remain undisclosed, the announcement follows a period of heightened regional tension. Reports from Al Jazeera note that this development follows comments from U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who suggested the U.S. would refrain from further attacks on Iran in anticipation of a potential diplomatic deal. Conversely, NDTV highlights that Iran has maintained effective control over the waterway since the onset of the current conflict, framing the negotiations within the context of regional sovereignty. Middle East Eye provided the most direct reporting on the Foreign Ministry’s statements, focusing primarily on the procedural status of the talks as reported by the IRNA news agency.