US, Iran and Oman near interim deal to reopen Strait of Hormuz FAST-MOVING

Strait of Hormuz interim agreement US‑Iran‑Oman talks oil price drop Marco Rubio

Senior U.S. officials said progress had been made toward a 60‑day interim agreement that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The proposed arrangement would let commercial vessels enter the strait through a northern lane in Iranian waters and exit via a southern lane in Omani waters, with no tolls. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent each indicated a deal could be reached within days, and President Donald Trump warned Iran would be “hit very hard” if negotiations failed.

Iran confirmed it is only negotiating with Oman, not directly with the United States, and said the geographical coordinates of the proposed route have been agreed. Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and other regional mediators are also involved. Optimism over the talks sent Brent crude down about 5 % to just under $80 a barrel and pushed West Texas Intermediate lower by a similar margin.

The talks continue amid broader tensions, with both sides accusing the other of aggression and the United States maintaining a naval blockade of Iranian ports.

Entities: Abbas Araghchi · Donald Trump · Esmaeil Baghaei · Esmail Baghaei · Hormuz Strait · Iran · Iran · Iran · Islamic Republic of Iran · Islamic Republic of Iran · Ismail Bagaei · Ismail Bagei

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 6 SOURCES] Iranian foreign‑ministry spokesperson Ismail Bagei said the new route will differ from the pre‑war situation. (multiple articles)
[● 2 SOURCES] The United States seeks a full opening of the Hormuz Strait and a deal that would limit Iran's nuclear capacity. (b788b942-6ee1-4c9c-8b29-a82abbe6503c, 025ed9da-2974-4909-a396-236dec484ead)
[● 6 SOURCES] U.S. President Donald Trump delayed a planned military action against Iran, creating space for diplomatic agreements. (multiple articles)
[● 8 SOURCES] The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea guarantees a right of transit passage and prohibits blockade in the Hormuz Strait. (existing claim)
[● 21 SOURCES] The negotiations are bilateral and do not involve direct talks with the United States. (multiple)
[● 26 SOURCES] The proposed arrangement includes a temporary safe shipping corridor with a circular route: northbound leg through Iranian waters, southbound leg through Omani waters. (temporary corridor design)
[● 13 SOURCES] Iran and Oman are in the final phase of bilateral negotiations on managing traffic through the Hormuz Strait. (belongs)
[● 16 SOURCES] The proposed arrangement would regulate vessel movement, maritime services and safety in the Hormuz Strait. (arrangement scope)
[● 13 SOURCES] The negotiations do not aim to restore pre‑war navigation conditions in the Hormuz Strait. (belongs)
[● 6 SOURCES] Iran denies any direct negotiations with the United States regarding the Hormuz Strait. (multiple articles)
[● 25 SOURCES] The temporary corridor will have a northbound leg through Iranian waters and a southbound leg through Omani waters. (existing)
[● 24 SOURCES] Iran denies any direct negotiations with the United States. (Iranian denial)