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Thursday, 13 August 2026dailybeirut.com
World
Axios reports the US, Iran, and Oman are poised to announce a temporary 60-day agreement on Wednesday to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, aiming to restore a truce and revive nuclear talks.
Axios, citing a U.S. official, reported that the United States, Iran, and the Sultanate of Oman are on the verge of finalizing a temporary agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, with Washington expected to announce the deal on Wednesday.
The emerging agreement—negotiated over several weeks—would establish a provisional 60-day framework governing maritime traffic through the strait, extendable upon mutual consent. Under its terms, all vessels entering the Gulf via the strait must follow a northern route passing through Iranian waters, while vessels exiting toward the Arabian Sea must use a southern route traversing Omani waters, coordinated with Iran.
The deal stipulates no fees or charges will be levied during the 60-day period. All parties have committed to clearing naval mines from the strait’s central shipping lane within 30 days. Once cleared, that central corridor would serve as a shared transit route for both inbound and outbound vessels under a permanent agreement to be negotiated separately between Oman and Iran.
Axios noted that the White House, Oman, and regional mediators believed they had secured an agreement with Iran three weeks ago—only for Tehran to resume attacks on commercial vessels shortly thereafter. That escalation triggered two weeks of hostilities that nearly ignited full-scale war.
Regional sources told Axios that Qatari, Pakistani, and Saudi officials also participated in mediation efforts alongside direct talks between Oman and Iran. The White House played an active role: in recent days, Trump envoy Steve Witkoff held multiple calls with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Omani Foreign Minister Badr Al-Busaidi.
Two regional sources confirmed that Araghchi signaled preliminary agreement over the weekend but required formal endorsement from Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and the Supreme National Security Council. A U.S. official and a regional source stated that Iran’s leadership completed its internal approval process on Tuesday.
The agreement aims to reinstate a U.S.-Iran truce and restart negotiations toward a nuclear accord. It also seeks to address some Iranian demands by granting Tehran enhanced authority over navigation in the Strait of Hormuz—a level of control it did not hold prior to the war.
President Donald Trump decided Saturday not to proceed with threats of large-scale bombing, opting instead to extend the diplomatic timeframe. However, Axios reported he may authorize major strikes if no agreement is reached in the near term.
