Iran and Oman have agreed on a phased framework to manage shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman that has been effectively closed since the outbreak of war in February. Omani Foreign Minister Badr Al-Busaidi visited Tehran on Tuesday and, alongside his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi, issued a joint statement outlining an arrangement that includes a temporary joint navigational corridor, mine-clearing operations, information-sharing and traffic management. "I am hopeful we will soon announce a temporary corridor for the Strait of Hormuz," Al-Busaidi wrote on X after the meeting, adding that a permanent solution and an agreement on future administration of the strait would follow.
The technical details of the proposed corridor were elaborated by Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, who said the inbound route for vessels entering the Persian Gulf from the Gulf of Oman would pass entirely through Iranian waters, while the outbound route would run through both Iranian and Omani waters. Further negotiations over the next 30 to 60 days will work towards a permanent navigational arrangement. However, Gharibabadi was careful to stress that the strait itself remains closed — the temporary corridor agreement with Oman does not amount to a full reopening, and Tehran insists Washington must first return to its commitments under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), a ceasefire framework brokered earlier this year, before normal passage is restored.
The Oman talks are unfolding within a broader, cautiously optimistic diplomatic landscape. Pakistan's Chief of Defence Forces, Field Marshal Asim Munir, also visited Tehran this week, with Pakistani officials describing the meetings — including one with General Mohsen Rezaei, the Supreme Leader's representative on Iran's Supreme National Security Council — as "highly fruitful." Islamabad has emerged as a significant back-channel between Washington and Tehran, with diplomatic sources confirming that Pakistan is not merely facilitating communication but actively mediating, conveying proposals and responses in both directions. CBS News and The Wall Street Journal have both identified Pakistan as a key conduit in the crisis.
On the US side, there are tentative signs of flexibility. Reports in American media suggest Washington has offered sanctions relief and an end to its naval blockade in exchange for Iran reopening Hormuz and halting attacks by Iran-aligned regional groups, though neither government has publicly confirmed the specific terms. Diplomatic sources noted that a fresh round of US Treasury sanctions, while announced with strong rhetoric, was notably softer than expected — crucially omitting Chinese financial institutions believed to be facilitating Iran's oil trade. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump claimed on his Truth Social platform that all mines had been cleared from the strait's international waters by the US Navy, warning that any vessel placing new mines would be "immediately and systematically destroyed."
The stakes of the standoff are hard to overstate. The Strait of Hormuz is the world's most critical oil chokepoint, with roughly a fifth of global petroleum supplies passing through it in normal times. The combination of the Iran-Oman corridor agreement, Pakistan's active mediation, and Washington's apparent willingness to soften its sanctions posture represent the first potentially workable pathway to de-escalation since the Islamabad MoU broke down. Yet fundamental differences remain: Iran continues to frame Hormuz not as a standalone maritime dispute but as one element of a broader negotiation tied to sanctions, the blockade and US compliance with the earlier understanding. Whether the corridor deal can hold — and whether it leads to wider talks — may become clear within weeks.