Strait Of Hormuz Crisis: Iran, Oman Seek Safe Passage Amid US Pressure

Iran has resumed discussions with neighbouring Oman on restoring safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, as Tehran faces growing economic pressure from the United States amid the wider conflict, Reuters reported.

The two countries have held intermittent discussions for several weeks on managing traffic through the strategic waterway, which accounted for roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments before the war began in February.

Shipping activity through the strait has remained severely disrupted since then.

Iran and Oman said on Tuesday that they had discussed establishing a temporary joint navigational corridor through the waterway and agreed to remove mines from the route.

The development comes despite US President Donald Trump repeatedly claiming that the Strait of Hormuz has already been cleared of mines.

While direct fighting between the US and Iran has largely eased, diplomatic efforts to secure a broader peace agreement have stalled, leaving commercial vessels facing continued risks in the waterway.

Tanker hit near Strait of Hormuz

The security situation remained uncertain on Tuesday after an oil tanker was struck by an unidentified projectile and disabled around 9 nautical miles, or 17 km, northeast of Oman's Ash Shishah, near the entrance to the strait, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency.

Separately, the US Secret Service said it was aware of a video aired on Iranian state television that discussed an alleged plot to assassinate Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump.

The roughly three-minute broadcast claimed the 20-year-old was being monitored and alleged that a $10 million bounty had been offered for his killing. The claims have not been independently established.

US steps up economic pressure

Washington has also intensified its economic campaign against Tehran. The US earlier this week warned countries that continue doing business with Iran that they could face secondary sanctions, although Washington said the penalties would not be imposed immediately.

At the same time, the US has begun preparing to return some personnel to diplomatic missions across the Middle East that had been evacuated or reduced during the conflict, Reuters reported, citing two people familiar with the matter.

The move indicates that Washington believes the immediate risk of a renewed escalation has declined, although some embassies are expected to initially operate with reduced staffing.

Oil prices fell for a second consecutive day as traders largely looked past the potential impact of the latest sanctions.

Tehran has condemned Washington's effort to isolate its economy as "gross lawlessness" and said it expects many countries to resist the US pressure campaign.

Conflict Weighs On Trump

The prolonged conflict is also weighing on US public opinion. A recent Reuters poll showed American support for the war falling to its lowest level since the early stages of the conflict, while Trump's approval rating has also reached a record low ahead of November's congressional elections.

Thousands of people have been killed since the conflict began, with Iran and Lebanon accounting for most of the casualties.

US and Israeli military operations have significantly weakened Iran's conventional military capabilities, while the current status of Tehran's nuclear programme remains unclear.

The US and Israel have sought to dismantle Iran's nuclear capabilities, but the extent of damage to the programme and its remaining capacity is still unknown.