Iran is negotiating a temporary plan with Oman to reopen the Strait of Hormuz under terms that would give Tehran control over all inbound shipping and visibility over outbound traffic, with the ability to intervene if necessary, a senior Iranian source involved in the talks told Reuters. The outbound lane would follow a route between Iran and Oman, with exit clearance granted by Muscat after notifying Iran. The source described this as “the general idea currently being discussed” and said Tehran is unlikely to change its position, having already shown flexibility by moving from an initial demand for full control of both directions.

Viewed from Tehran, the arrangement is designed to be provisional and Iranian-led. Saeed Ajorlu, a member of the Iranian negotiating team, told state broadcaster IRIB that the goal is “to establish temporary arrangements” lasting one to three months “in which Iran is dominant,” because security, mine-clearing and maritime services are administered by Iran. He insisted that the legal regime governing the strait should not return to its pre-war status, when no single state controlled transit. Iranian officials also say the strait will remain closed, regardless of any deal, until the United States lifts its naval blockade of Iranian ports and both sides resume the 14-point plan set out in the June memorandum of understanding.

Washington rejects the Iranian version. A US official familiar with the negotiations said on Monday that any “temporary” route through the strait would not require Iranian approval or permits, and would involve no tolls. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has repeatedly stated that the strait must revert to being an open international waterway, warning that allowing a nation-state to control a maritime chokepoint and charge fees would set a dangerous global precedent. The dispute centres on competing interpretations of the June MoU: Iran says Article 5 explicitly preserved its authority over shipping, while the US says the text required Tehran to reopen the waterway.

The strait, a 34-kilometre-wide passage between the Gulf and the Indian Ocean through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil supplies transit, has been largely blocked since the US-Israeli war on Iran began in late February. The emerging deal grants Iran and Oman 60 days to negotiate the strait’s opening, during which Washington and Tehran are also expected to resume talks on the future of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile. Iranian officials have indicated that other commitments in the memorandum—including a Lebanon ceasefire, sanctions relief, and the release of frozen funds—must be addressed before further steps are taken.