Oman and Iran said Saturday that they are making progress in talks aimed at creating a safe shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz, as Tehran warned that the route may not reopen immediately.
The discussions between the two countries are focused on a possible agreement that would allow ships to travel through the strategic passage under a system managed by both Oman and Iran. However, officials have not announced a timeline for completing the deal or restoring normal shipping operations.
Oman’s Foreign Ministry urged all sides to avoid any actions that could threaten commercial vessels and disrupt maritime traffic in the region. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said negotiations were in their final stages but added that reopening the strait would depend on additional conditions.
Araghchi said Iran’s conditions for fully reopening the route included compensation from the U.S. over what Tehran described as violations of a previous agreement between the two countries.
At least 56 oil tankers are operating with limited digital monitoring near Iran to help transport crude exports from Arab Gulf countries, according to TankerTrackers.com. The tracking firm said the vessels are passing through the Strait of Hormuz and carrying out ship to ship oil transfers in the Gulf of Oman.
The ships are moving in “digital darkness,” meaning their locations are harder to follow through public tracking systems. The activity is taking place as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains affected due to ongoing regional tensions.
Iranian security official Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr also said the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until Washington changes its policies toward Tehran. He listed several demands, including ending threats against Iran, lifting restrictions on Iranian ports and releasing frozen Iranian financial assets.
Earlier this week, U.S. President Donald Trump said a possible agreement with Iran could happen soon. However, Vice President JD Vance said Saturday that negotiations were still ongoing and more work was needed before reaching a final solution.
“We’re really in the middle of the game here,” Vance said, adding that the U.S. was using diplomatic, economic and military measures to protect American interests.
Vance also rejected reports that Iran planned to charge ships fees for crossing the strait, saying Tehran had indicated it had no intention of introducing such charges.
