Iran would prohibit all military vessels from transiting the Strait of Hormuz if a proposed navigation arrangement with Oman becomes binding, Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said in comments reported on August 26. The emerging framework is intended to manage commercial traffic through the strategic waterway while Tehran and Muscat continue negotiations.
Under the proposal described by Gharibabadi, commercial ships entering the Persian Gulf would travel through Iranian waters. Outbound vessels would use a route passing partly through Iranian waters and partly through Omani waters. He said the arrangement would be temporary, with the two governments given 30 to 60 days to work toward a permanent maritime traffic system.
Gharibabadi was categorical about the proposed military restriction, saying no military vessel would be allowed through if the understanding took legal effect. He also warned that the strait would be closed if Iran's demands were not met. Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said he hoped the countries could agree on a temporary shipping corridor, indicating that talks were continuing rather than presenting the framework as a final settlement.
The Strait of Hormuz has remained largely closed amid the war involving Iran and the United States, which began on February 28 and was approaching the six-month mark. An interim agreement reached in June subsequently collapsed. Iran has attacked ships in the waterway, while the United States has sought to preserve navigation and imposed pressure on Iranian ports. Before the disruption, the strait carried about one-fifth of global oil and gas flows, making its status important well beyond the immediate conflict.
Washington opposes elements of the developing arrangement. President Donald Trump has threatened military action against Oman if it obstructs US aims. Separately, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a new campaign of economic pressure intended to isolate Iran and compel concessions. The sanctions also place other countries doing business with Tehran at risk of losing financial ties with the United States.
Regional diplomacy continued alongside the Iran-Oman discussions. Qatar's prime minister was expected in Tehran for talks on de-escalation, freedom of navigation and conditions for dialogue. Those contacts underscored how the proposed corridor is connected to broader attempts to contain the conflict.
For now, the arrangement remains provisional. Iran's proposed exclusion of warships, its conditions for reopening the strait and US opposition all present major obstacles. The next 30 to 60 days of negotiations would need to convert broad routing concepts into rules accepted by both coastal states and capable of functioning amid an active military confrontation. The evidence did not identify a signing date or enforcement mechanism.
