Iran and Oman have restarted discussions on managing the busy waterway known as the Strait of Hormuz. The two neighbors talked about setting up a joint temporary navigational corridor through the strait and agreed to clear it of mines. This comes as Iran faces strong economic pressure from US President Donald Trump in the wider conflict that has disrupted the region.
The Strait of Hormuz once handled about one fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. Most shipping stopped when the war began in February. Talks between Iran and Oman on controlling traffic through the waterway have gone on and off for weeks. On Tuesday both countries confirmed they discussed the temporary corridor and mine clearance plans.
President Trump repeated earlier claims that all mines in the strait have already been cleared. Even though active fighting between the US and Iran has mostly quieted down, peace talks remain stuck. Passage through the waterway is still risky. An oil tanker was hit by an unidentified projectile on Tuesday and left disabled roughly 9 nautical miles northeast of Oman’s Ash Shishah, right at the entrance to the strait, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations.
In a separate development, the US Secret Service said it was aware of a video aired on Iranian state television that mentioned a possible plot against Trump’s youngest son, Barron. Meanwhile the United States has started sending staff back to some Middle East diplomatic missions that were emptied or reduced during the height of tensions. Officials familiar with the matter say this move signals Washington now sees a lower chance of the conflict flaring up again soon, though some embassies will still run below full strength.
The US also threatened new penalties against countries that keep doing business with Iran, yet said it would not apply those punishments right away. Oil prices dropped for a second day as traders largely ignored the fresh sanctions threat. Iran called the US effort to isolate its economy “gross lawlessness” and expressed confidence that many nations would refuse to join the pressure campaign.
Public support for the war in the United States has fallen to its lowest point since the early days of the conflict. Trump’s own popularity sits at a record low ahead of the November congressional elections, according to recent Reuters Ipsos polling. Thousands of people have lost their lives, mostly in Iran and Lebanon. The US and Israel have damaged much of Iran’s conventional military strength, though the exact condition of its nuclear program remains unclear.
