IRAN AND OMAN ANNOUNCE TEMPORARY HORMUZ CORRIDOR PLAN

Developing story: U.S., Iranian, Omani and shipping-industry statements may change the corridor’s status or commercial effect.

Iran and Oman announced a framework for managing ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, offering the clearest diplomatic structure yet for a waterway that remains central to the U.S.-Iran conflict and global energy risk. The Associated Press reported that Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaid met Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Tehran before the two governments issued a joint statement.

The statement said the proposed framework includes a joint temporary navigational corridor and cooperation to clear mines from the waterway. Iran and Oman also said technical negotiations would continue toward a permanent shipping corridor and an agreement on the future administration of the strait. That language points beyond emergency passage and toward a contested governance question.

Hormuz carried about one-fifth of the world’s traded oil before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran in February, making any transit arrangement immediately relevant to energy prices, insurance costs and shipping schedules. Even a partial framework could reduce uncertainty if shipowners and insurers believe it creates enforceable rules and safer passage.

The political issue is whether the United States will accept the arrangement. Washington has insisted that freedom of navigation be restored and has opposed any setup that appears to give Iran veto power over inbound or outbound movement. A corridor jointly managed by Iran and Oman may look practical to shippers but unacceptable to U.S. officials if it formalizes Iranian control.

Oman’s position is unusually delicate. Muscat is a mediator, a neighbor of the strait and a partner for Western and Gulf governments. It has incentives to reduce maritime danger but also must avoid appearing to take ownership of an arrangement that either Washington or Tehran later blames for failure.

For Iran, the plan preserves leverage. Tehran can say it is participating in a structured reopening while still insisting that ships follow rules connected to its claims over the strait. For energy markets, the difference between a corridor and normal navigation matters because a route that operates by permission is not the same as open commercial access.

The mine-clearance language is also significant. Mine threats, suspected projectiles and vessel strikes have increased costs and uncertainty. A credible clearance process could reassure some operators, but only if it is transparent, technically verifiable and not interrupted by military escalation.

What is confirmed is that Iran and Oman announced a temporary corridor and mine-clearing framework. What remains unresolved is whether the plan is accepted by Washington, trusted by shipowners and insurers, and capable of moving enough cargo to reduce the war-risk premium in oil and gas markets.

Fact-check date: August 25, 2026. Article type: News. Sources: Associated Press; Reuters; Oman Foreign Ministry. Developing note: U.S., Iranian, Omani and shipping-industry statements may change the corridor’s status or commercial effect.