United States President Donald Trump said a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz could be announced as early as Wednesday or Thursday, as Iran and Oman moved closer to finalising an agreement aimed at restoring shipping through the strategic waterway.
Speaking to reporters while travelling in California, Trump said "a lot of progress has been made" when asked about reports that an announcement could be imminent.
"It could happen. Tomorrow or the next day," Trump said.
The comments came after Iran's foreign ministry confirmed that Tehran and Oman had agreed on a new shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz and were completing the final arrangements for jointly managing maritime traffic.
According to foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei, the two countries have agreed on the geographical coordinates of the proposed route, with a joint statement outlining the agreement now in its final drafting stage.
Regional officials told The Associated Press the proposal would see vessels enter the Persian Gulf through an Iranian-controlled route and exit via a route managed by Oman. The plan also includes security and environmental service fees for ships using the passage.
The negotiations remain sensitive, with officials speaking anonymously.
The Trump administration has previously rejected any agreement that would give Iran control over the strategically important waterway.
Earlier this week, Trump reiterated his opposition to tolls being imposed on ships using the strait.
"I'm not going to let them charge," Trump said. "Anybody's going to charge, we'll charge."
Despite progress in the talks, Iran's foreign ministry warned the agreement alone would not guarantee safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, arguing that U.S. military activity in the region continued to pose a security risk.
"The Iran-Oman understanding in and of itself cannot mean that the strait has become safe for passing ships," the ministry said, adding that threats stemming from U.S. actions against Iran remained unresolved.
According to sources cited by CBS News, the proposed arrangement would allow the United States and Iran to resume negotiations under the terms of a memorandum of understanding reached in June, including a 60-day period of unrestricted transit through the Strait of Hormuz.
