A joint statement from Tehran and Muscat is under review and in the final drafting stage, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told reporters on Wednesday, according to a post on Telegram. Negotiations between the two countries are “professional” and “forward-moving” and a deal would be struck “if certain third parties do not obstruct this process,” he said.
Iran and Oman have been in discussions for several days about a management plan for the Strait of Hormuz, which has emerged as the focal point of the ongoing war between the US and the Islamic Republic. Baghaei didn’t mention any role of the US in its statement, except to say the closure of the strait was a result of attacks by Washington and Israel.
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US President Donald Trump said in Los Angeles late Tuesday that a deal on the Strait of Hormuz is imminent. Iranian state TV played down the outcome of the discussions on Wednesday, citing a person familiar with the matter as saying an agreement between Tehran and Muscat would not necessarily mean the strait would open immediately.
That would be contingent “on a change in US behavior,” according to the report.
Oil steadied on Wednesday amid mounting signs that Hormuz could be reopened, potentially restoring millions of barrels a day of production disrupted by the months-long conflict. Brent crude traded slightly lower at $79 a barrel in London.
The various reports and comments about an agreement on the Strait of Hormuz come after months of deadlock between the US and Iran over how to conclude the five-month war. While fighting between the sides has paused for now, a number of issues remain unresolved — not least Iran’s nuclear program — and there hasn’t been an agreement to start formal talks.
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