Iran, Oman hold Hormuz talks as U.S. tensions escalate

Abbas Araghchi arrived in Muscat on Saturday with a diplomatic delegation for talks centered on the administration and safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, alongside regional developments and bilateral ties. The meeting placed Oman back in the middle of a fast-moving confrontation between Iran and the United States, with the narrow waterway once again at the center of the crisis.

The talks came as Washington pressed Tehran for a public pledge to stop attacks on ships and guarantee free, secure transit through the strait. Donald Trump said Friday that the ceasefire reached last month was over, even as the United States and Iran had agreed to continue talks. That message landed against a backdrop of heavy clashes this week between the two countries, turning the Muscat meeting into more than a routine diplomatic exchange.

Oman’s role matters because Muscat has long served as a back channel when Washington and Tehran move toward open confrontation. The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial global shipping chokepoint, and traffic through it fell sharply this week after attacks on vessels and renewed U.S.-Iran strikes. Any disruption there can ripple quickly through global oil shipping, insurance costs, and regional military planning, which is why even limited talks in Oman carry outsized weight.

Reports said this was the first Hormuz-related meeting between Iran and Oman since a framework deal with the United States earlier this month, a sign that the two sides were still trying to keep a diplomatic lane open even as the military situation worsened. At the same time, Iranian leadership issued a written statement vowing revenge, underscoring how fragile any de-escalation remains. The Muscat talks now sit at the intersection of shipping security, Gulf stability, and the risk that a maritime dispute could widen into a broader regional conflict.