HORMUZ MINE-CLEARING BECOMES TEST OF IRAN DEAL

The Strait of Hormuz has moved from a battlefield issue to a practical test of whether a U.S.-Iran agreement can restore normal shipping. Reuters reported that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that Hormuz “has to be open, one way or the other,” while acknowledging that a deal with Iran could still take several days.

The main problem is that reopening the strait is not only a diplomatic decision. Reuters, citing Nikkei and a Middle East diplomatic source, reported that Iran would reopen the waterway about 30 days after signing a peace agreement with the United States. During that period, Iran would begin clearing naval mines from the strait so ships from all countries could pass safely.

That 30-day window matters because mines can keep a shipping route effectively unsafe even after governments announce a ceasefire or political settlement. Maritime traffic depends on more than permission to move. Commercial operators, insurers, naval forces, and port authorities need confidence that the route has been surveyed, hazards have been removed, and rules for passage are clear.

Reuters reported in March that Iran had deployed about a dozen mines in the Strait of Hormuz, citing two sources familiar with the matter. The report said the move complicated efforts to reopen a waterway that normally carries a large share of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.

The mine-clearing question is also tied to recent military activity. Reuters reported that U.S. forces conducted fresh strikes in southern Iran against targets including boats attempting to lay mines and missile launch sites, while Washington described the action as defensive. Iran said the strikes violated the ceasefire.

Talks are broader than the mines themselves. Reuters reported that the proposed framework includes ending hostilities, lifting the U.S. naval blockade, reopening Hormuz, financial relief for Iran, and a later window for nuclear negotiations. Major unresolved issues include uranium enrichment, sanctions relief, ballistic missile restrictions, and reparations for war damage.

The sequence is therefore important. A political deal may be only the first step. The next steps would likely involve mine-clearing, maritime verification, transit rules, insurance confidence, and the physical return of commercial traffic. Until those steps are completed, energy markets may continue treating Hormuz as a risk point rather than a fully reopened route.

For governments and shippers, the question is not only whether Washington and Tehran can agree on paper. It is whether that agreement can be translated into safe passage through one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints. If the mine-clearing process stalls, the deal could exist diplomatically while shipping remains limited in practice.

Fact-check date: 26 May 2026
Sources: Reuters, Nikkei

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