Iran and Oman resume Strait of Hormuz navigation talks

Nicosia, Cyprus. Iran said it had resumed talks with neighbouring Oman on managing traffic through the Strait of Hormuz as it faces heightened economic pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump amid the wider conflict.

Navigation corridor talks

Iran and Oman have held intermittent discussions for weeks on controlling traffic through the strategic waterway, which handled one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments before the war began in February.

Most shipping has been shut down since then.

The two countries said on Tuesday they discussed “a joint temporary navigational corridor” through the strait and agreed to clear it of mines.

Trump said all mines in the strait had been cleared, repeating comments he had made previously.

Security risks remain

Although active hostilities between the United States and Iran have largely subsided, diplomatic efforts to reach a peace agreement have stalled and passage through the waterway remains perilous.

An oil tanker was struck and disabled on Tuesday by an unidentified projectile about nine nautical miles, or 17 kilometres, northeast of Oman’s Ash Shishah, at the entrance to the strait, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said.

U.S. diplomatic missions

Separately, the U.S. Secret Service said on Tuesday it was aware of a video broadcast by Iranian state television discussing a potential plot to assassinate Trump’s youngest son, Barron.

The three-minute broadcast discussed a potential plot to kill Barron Trump, 20, claiming he was being monitored and alleging that a $10 million bounty had been offered for his killing.

Despite the tensions, the United States has begun sending personnel back to some diplomatic missions in the Middle East that were evacuated or downsized amid tensions with Iran, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters.