The Iranian foreign ministry said on Sunday that deputy foreign ministers from Iran and Oman had made progress during two days of talks in Tehran on managing maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic waterway at the centre of a months-long confrontation. The discussions, held on Friday and Saturday, came as Washington paused its 13-night campaign of airstrikes against Iran, a decision that, according to the Axios news site, followed the arrival of an Omani delegation in Tehran for negotiations on reopening the strait. Spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei characterised the meetings as “useful” and said that “technical and political consultations between the two sides are continuing,” while insisting that “there has been no change in the status of navigation through the Strait.”

Viewed from Tehran, the talks are part of an effort to assert sovereign control over the waterway. Two sources familiar with the discussions told The Jerusalem Post that Oman has proposed establishing a regional consortium to oversee maritime security, search-and-rescue and other cooperation, with participation and payments being voluntary. Iran, however, is pressing for a mandatory fee structure, arguing that vessels should otherwise be barred from transit. Omani officials have not publicly detailed their proposal, but earlier in June Muscat angered Tehran by suggesting that ships could use Omani waters to bypass Iranian control. The Gulf sultanate, which also shares the strait, has long sought to mediate between its larger neighbours.

Western capitals view the talks with caution. The United States, which resumed military strikes in July after a short-lived June ceasefire brokered by Qatar and Pakistan collapsed, has maintained a naval blockade of Iranian ports and reiterated its demand that Iran guarantee freedom of navigation. Washington opposes any fee regime, and according to regional sources cited by CBS News, significant gaps remain. US President Donald Trump has publicly suggested Iran is becoming “more serious” about negotiations, a characterisation promptly rejected by an Iranian military official who told state media that Tehran was not ready for talks.

The diplomatic manoeuvres unfold against a backdrop of prolonged instability. Since the US and Israel launched a military campaign on 28 February 2026, the strait—through which roughly one-fifth of global oil consumption passes—has been a flashpoint. The June memorandum of understanding briefly halted hostilities, but Iran’s insistence on regulating transit through its coastal waters and reports of attacks on merchant ships reignited tensions. Kuwait, meanwhile, denied a Wall Street Journal report that its fighter jets had taken part in US operations, with its ambassador stating that Kuwaiti territory, airspace or waters were not used for offensive actions.

For now, the Omani initiative marks the most visible diplomatic channel. Technical and political consultations are ongoing, but the fundamental divide—whether any new arrangement should be voluntary or compulsory—remains unresolved, and no timeline has been set for a follow‑up meeting. The pause in US strikes offers a tentative window for de‑escalation, yet both sides’ public positions leave little common ground.