Diplomacy & Geopolitics
Hormuz talks positive, Oman says, warns on ship attacks
Oman said on August 8 that talks on the Strait of Hormuz were positive, but warned against attacks on ships as efforts continued over passage through the strategic waterway.
Pakistan, which is mediating, had said it hoped a Hormuz agreement would lead to the resumption of talks between Iran and the United States. The comment followed Iran’s statement that it and Oman had agreed a route for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz and were finalising arrangements to manage the waterway.
Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the route’s geographical coordinates had been agreed and that a joint statement by Iran and Oman was in final review and drafting, according to Iranian state news agency IRNA.
Baqaei said talks with Oman were moving forward, but said any understanding would not mean the strait was safe for all vessels. He said “the factors making the Strait of Hormuz insecure still exist on the part of the United States”, citing what he called a naval blockade and other aggressive and threatening actions against Iran and its interests.
Iran has denied that negotiations are taking place with Washington and says it is making arrangements with Oman. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly said Tehran wants a deal to reopen the route to shipping.
Before the war, the Strait of Hormuz carried around a fifth of the world’s oil and LNG exports. Iran has insisted that ships use a route close to the Iranian coast, while many vessels have used a southern route near Oman, where some have occasionally come under fire.
Britain’s maritime security agency UKMTO said the captain of an oil tanker reported hearing two explosions while transiting the strait, nine nautical miles southeast of Kumzar, Oman, on Wednesday. UKMTO said the crew and vessel were safe. Yemen’s Houthis separately said they had struck two Saudi oil tankers. Saudi authorities did not immediately comment.
Update
Oman said talks on Hormuz were positive.
Oman warned against attacks on ships.
Source note: AFP news report published on 8 August 2026 at 14:02:14 UTC.
Update
Pakistan, described as a mediator, said it hoped the Hormuz agreement would lead to the resumption of Iran-US talks.
Source note: AFP news report published on 6 August 2026 at 07:03:49 UTC.
Update
Britain's maritime security agency UKMTO said an oil tanker captain reported hearing two explosions nine nautical miles southeast of Kumzar, Oman, while the crew and vessel were safe.
Yemen's Houthis said they struck two Saudi oil tankers, the Wafa off Yanbu and the Daisy in the Gulf of Aden; Saudi authorities did not immediately comment.
US Vice President JD Vance said diplomacy with Iran would take time because of divisions within Iran's leadership.
Source note: AFP news report published on 6 August 2026 at 04:10:19 UTC.
Update
Iranian briefings said any reopening of the Strait of Hormuz would depend on the United States fulfilling what Tehran sees as a commitment to end its naval blockade of Iranian ports.
Iran says an agreed route with Oman would not by itself make the strait safe for all passing vessels.
Iran wants to control the strait and charge tolls, according to the supplied material.
Source note: AFP news report published on 5 August 2026 at 17:12:56 UTC.
Update
Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said any understanding with Oman would not mean the Strait of Hormuz had become safe for all passing vessels.
Baqaei said the factors making the strait insecure still existed, citing the United States' naval blockade and other actions against Iran and its interests.
The source item says prices have repeatedly surged since the dispute over the waterway erupted.
Source note: AFP news report published on 5 August 2026 at 15:56:09 UTC.
Update
Iran's foreign ministry said the geographical coordinates of the planned Hormuz route have been agreed with Oman.
Iran said the two countries are finalising arrangements for jointly managing the passage.
Iran said a joint statement is in final review and drafting, conditional on what it described as no obstruction by third parties.
Source note: AFP news report published on 5 August 2026 at 15:31:54 UTC.
Update
Iran said it has agreed a new Hormuz route with Oman.
Source note: AFP news report published on 5 August 2026 at 15:22:56 UTC.
Update
Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said negotiations with Oman were in their final stages, according to IRNA.
Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said a new route understanding would not determine whether the Strait of Hormuz is reopened or remains closed.
Baqaei blamed the United States for the closure and accused Washington of breaching commitments.
The item says Muscat did not immediately comment.
Source note: AFP news report published on 2 August 2026 at 17:31:41 UTC.
Update
Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Tehran and Muscat were close to reaching a deal on a new maritime route through the Strait of Hormuz.
Baqaei said the proposed route would be separate from existing corridors.
Baqaei said the route would be neither the northern route nor the southern route and would be acceptable to both sides.
Source note: AFP news report published on 2 August 2026 at 17:15:52 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The Omani warning does not identify who was behind any attacks on ships.
Saudi authorities did not immediately comment on the Houthi claim about two Saudi oil tankers.
The scope and timing of any final Iran-Oman joint statement remain unclear.
Source
AFP news report published on .