Iran says Oman deal is in ‘final stages’ but US must act to open Hormuz

Iran said on Sunday that a deal ⁠with Oman defining new shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz was in its final stages but reiterated that the waterway would only reopen once the United States met other conditions.A US official said on Friday that an agreement between Iran and Oman was close and could soon reopen the waterway, which carried a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments before Iran blocked it in response to US and Israeli attacks.Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Sunday an agreement on the strait that lies between the two countries was in the “final stages” ‌but repeated comments made on Saturday that it would not reopen it unless other conditions were met.The agreement would set out the new shipping lanes to be used once the US fulfils those conditions and the strait is reopened, Iran’s Mehr news agency quoted him as saying.Iran and the US are not engaged in talks and Tehran will not start them as long as Washington breaches an interim deal signed in June, Araqchi said, adding that messages are being exchanged via intermediaries.Motorcyclists drive past Iranian missiles on display above a banner depicting US President Trump at Azadi Square in Tehran on July 30. Photo: EPAThe United States began air strikes on Iran in late February, saying it aimed to ensure the Islamic Republic could not acquire nuclear weapons or threaten the region with missiles or proxies.