Iran and Oman have agreed on a temporary 7-mile-wide shipping corridor through the Strait of Hormuz, potentially providing a path for some commercial vessels to resume transit. The agreement follows weeks of negotiations and includes plans to address navigation, security and mine-clearing operations, reports Al Jazeera.
However, Iran says the strait is not fully reopened and that ships will remain subject to Iranian approval and monitoring. Tehran also insists the U.S. must fulfill commitments from a June ceasefire agreement, including sanctions relief and the release of frozen Iranian assets, before the waterway can fully reopen.
The deal could help ease the global energy crisis caused by the disruption of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for more than 20% of global oil and LNG shipments before the conflict. But disagreements over U.S. involvement, Iranian control and potential shipping fees mean the temporary corridor remains a fragile step toward restoring normal traffic.
