An Iranian source familiar with the direct Iran-Oman talks has told CBS News the discussions between Tehran and Muscat are now focused largely on the mechanics of reopening the Strait of Hormuz, reports CBS; notes broad outlines have largely been agreed
- Under the current proposal, ships entering the strait would use the channel closest to Iran, with Iran coordinating inbound traffic, while vessels leaving the strait would use the Omani side, with Muscat managing outbound traffic.
- The proposal also includes a "service fee," with the revenue split between Iran and Oman.
- According to the source, the broad outlines have largely been agreed upon, with the remaining discussions focused on implementation and timing.
Sourcing of this kind, a single unnamed official relayed through a US network, is standard for back-channel Gulf diplomacy and has historically preceded either formal confirmation or quiet denial, so the first tell is whether Tehran or Muscat acknowledges the framework on the record. A traffic-separation scheme with a shared transit fee is structurally different from a simple de-escalation: it formalises an Iranian coordinating role in the strait rather than removing it, which in past episodes has mattered more for war-risk insurance premia and freight rates than for the headline crude print, since underwriters price the durability of the arrangement rather than its announcement. The crude precedent in reopening episodes is a front-loaded sell-off in the nearby contract with the curve reacting on evidence of actual tanker flows resuming, not on agreement in principle; implementation and timing language is exactly where such deals have stalled before. Worth observing is the split of the fee revenue, which gives both sides a financial stake in compliance and has tended to be the stickiest element to negotiate. Follow-ons are tanker tracking data through the strait, any shift in naval posture, and whether Oman briefs other Gulf producers.