FT: Hormuz shipping deal could lead US to lift naval blockade of Iran

A proposed agreement between Iran and Oman on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz could pave the way for a significant easing of US pressure on Tehran, the Financial Times (FT) reports.

“If an agreement on the strait were reached, the US would lift its naval blockade on Iranian ports and reinstate a waiver to allow Iran to sell oil,” the newspaper quoted a source familiar with the negotiations as saying.

However, the FT noted that an agreement so clearly at odds with US President Donald Trump's original military objectives would almost certainly provoke a backlash at home.

According to the report, Iran and Oman are currently discussing the details of the proposed agreement, which has yet to receive approval from Tehran's top leadership. Under the preliminary arrangement, vessels would enter the Strait of Hormuz through Iranian waters and exit primarily via Omani waters.

Initially, Iran would route oil tankers and other vessels through the agreed corridor while the rest of the strait is cleared of naval mines, after which the waterway would be reopened to all shipping, one source said.

Tehran is also pushing to introduce transit fees for vessels using the Strait of Hormuz over time.

Oman, by contrast, has proposed maintaining free passage similar to the system used in the Strait of Malacca in Southeast Asia, while encouraging voluntary contributions to support maritime security and environmental protection.

By Jeyhun Aghazada