WASHINGTON / TEHRAN — Tensions in West Asia showed preliminary signs of potential diplomatic movement as Iran and Oman entered the final stages of negotiating an agreement to restore navigation through the vital Strait of Hormuz, while both sides continue to trade stern warnings over military and nuclear capabilities.
According to statements from Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei, Tehran and Muscat have agreed on the geographic coordinates for a dedicated maritime corridor intended to safely reopen the strategic waterway. Baqaei confirmed that a joint official statement detailing the pact is currently under final review, provided no external forces intervene to derail the process.
Under the proposed framework, separate northern and southern maritime lanes would be replaced by a single intermediate corridor along the Iranian coast for inbound vessels and along the Omani side for outbound traffic. Sources familiar with the ongoing talks indicate Tehran would maintain oversight and security intervention rights over the inbound route to protect national security. While service fees for facilitating transit are being discussed, officials clarified that no transit tolls—which would violate international maritime law—will be imposed.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump signaled that diplomatic contacts between Washington and Tehran may be gaining traction, stating during a West Coast trip that the situation could become significantly clearer within the next 48 hours.
"A lot of progress has been made. They called me, and they said, 'Please, let's talk.' They want to talk," Trump told reporters as he departed Los Angeles for Las Vegas. Trump added that Iranian officials would be "very smart" to finalize an agreement, while maintaining his earlier warnings that the Islamic Republic could face severe repercussions if an interim arrangement to ease regional conflict falls through.
Adding a stark layer of complexity to the diplomatic negotiations, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander-in-Chief Ahmad Vahidi made bold remarks regarding Iran's nuclear stance. According to reports in Israeli media, Vahidi linked Tehran's nuclear program directly to the defense postures of its principal adversaries.
"As long as the United States and Israel possess nuclear weapons, we will continue working on them for our national security. If they disarm, we will disarm," Vahidi stated, in what security analysts view as an explicit public assertion regarding Iran's nuclear trajectory.
As the international community watches the fragile negotiations unfold in the Gulf, diplomats remain cautiously focused on whether the Oman-brokered maritime arrangement can successfully reopen the Strait of Hormuz and stem broader escalation across the region.
