TEHRAN, Aug 26 (Alliance News): Iran and Oman have resumed discussions on managing traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, as diplomatic efforts to resolve the standoff between Tehran and Washington remain stalled amid continued tensions in the region.
The two countries said they had discussed establishing a “joint temporary navigational corridor” through the strategic waterway and agreed to clear the route of mines.
The Strait of Hormuz handled around one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments before the conflict began in February. Most shipping through the waterway has remained disrupted since then.
US President Donald Trump said all mines in the strait had been cleared, repeating an earlier claim.
Although active hostilities between the United States and Iran have largely subsided, diplomatic efforts to reach a peace agreement have made little progress and passage through the waterway remains risky.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said an oil tanker was struck by an unidentified projectile on Tuesday and disabled about 9 nautical miles (17 kilometres) northeast of Oman’s Ash Shishah, near the entrance to the strait.
The incident has added to concerns over the safety of commercial shipping in the strategic waterway.
Separately, the US Secret Service said it was aware of a video broadcast by Iranian state television discussing a potential plot to assassinate Barron Trump, the US president’s youngest son.
US personnel return to Middle East missions
Despite the continuing tensions, the United States has begun returning personnel to some diplomatic missions in the Middle East that were evacuated or downsized amid concerns over the conflict with Iran, according to people familiar with the matter.
The move suggests Washington considers the immediate risk of further escalation to have declined, although some embassies are initially expected to operate below full capacity.
The development comes as the United States continues efforts to put economic pressure on Iran.
US sanctions put pressure on Iran
The United States earlier this week threatened to punish countries that continue doing business with Iran as part of efforts to weaken the Iranian economy, although Washington said the penalties would not be imposed immediately.
Oil prices fell for a second consecutive day as traders appeared to discount the immediate impact of the new US sanctions.
Iran condemned the US measures as an act of “gross lawlessness” and expressed confidence that many countries would not participate in Washington’s pressure campaign.
The continuing tensions have also affected US domestic politics. According to Reuters/Ipsos polling, public approval of the war has fallen to its lowest level since the early stages of the conflict, while President Trump’s popularity has also reached a record low ahead of congressional elections in November.
Thousands of people have been killed in the conflict, most of them in Iran and Lebanon, while the United States and Israel have significantly degraded Iran’s conventional military capabilities.
The exact condition of Iran’s nuclear programme remains unclear, with Washington and Israel continuing to seek its dismantling.
The proposed temporary navigation corridor through the Strait of Hormuz could provide a limited mechanism for restoring commercial traffic if the arrangement between Iran and Oman can be implemented and security conditions improve.
