Iran demands Hormuz inbound control, outbound oversight, says source

• Tehran unlikely to change position on Hormuz: source.
• Iranian president says Tehran does not seek wider war.
• Hormuz central point of contention between US and Iran.

Iran wants control over inbound shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and visibility over outbound traffic, with the ability to intervene if necessary, under a plan being discussed with Oman to reopen the strategic waterway, a senior Iranian source told Reuters on Tuesday.

The source, who is involved in the talks, said this is “the general idea currently being discussed”, and specified that the outbound lane would follow a route between Iran and Oman, with exit clearance granted through Oman after notifying Iran.

“Tehran is unlikely to change its position,” the source added.

In late July, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Tehran had rejected an Omani proposal for an equal division of transit routes between the two countries, saying such a plan did not address Tehran’s security concerns until long-term regional stability is achieved.

Control of the strait, the narrow waterway between the Gulf and the Indian Ocean that is the main route for about a fifth of world oil supplies and other vital goods, has been a main sticking point in efforts to resolve the US-Israeli war on Iran.

It has been largely blocked since the start of the war in late February.

Status of US-Iran talks uncertain

An attack on a vessel near the Strait of Hormuz and a rebound in oil prices underscored doubts that the US-Iran war was nearing a resolution, as Tehran pushed back against President Donald Trump’s assertion that talks were under way.

Oil prices rose nearly 3% after a steep selloff in the previous session as investors reassessed optimism over diplomacy, while a cargo vessel reported being struck by an unidentified projectile near the Strait of Hormuz off Oman’s coast, according to the UKMTO maritime security agency.

Trump said on Monday that talks with Tehran were under way and Iran faced a “last chance” to reach a deal, while Iranian officials insisted no negotiations with the United States were taking place.

Trump’s remarks followed his weekend decision to cancel what he described as “massive attacks” on Iran, repeating a pattern in which he has threatened major military action before stepping back and citing negotiations.

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran did not want the conflict to widen: “We defend our borders, but we do not seek to expand the war,” he was quoted as saying by state media.

Iran has halted most traffic through Hormuz while Washington maintains a blockade of Iranian shipping and ports.

Maritime sources told Reuters on Tuesday that the vessel struck near Hormuz was a dry bulk ship. Its crew had to abandon the vessel and one seafarer was missing, the sources said.

Repeated pattern

Monday’s events appeared to fit a pattern that has emerged since Trump launched “Operation Epic Fury” alongside Israel more than five months ago. He has repeatedly threatened military action against Iran, only to later point to diplomatic contacts as a reason to step back.

Iran, however, has publicly rejected negotiations with Washington since the collapse in early July of a memorandum of understanding the two sides signed the previous month in an attempt to end the conflict.

Trump has yet to achieve the objectives he set out at the start of the war: dismantling Iran’s nuclear programme, curbing its ability to attack regional rivals and creating conditions for Iranians to overthrow their rulers.

The dispute over Hormuz remains a central point of contention. Washington says the June memorandum required Iran to reopen the strategic waterway, while Tehran says the text explicitly preserved its authority over shipping traffic.