Trump Claims Iran Talks Underway, Tehran Denies Direct Contact

Iran and Oman are advancing toward a temporary arrangement that would route commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz under their joint oversight and extract a service fee from vessels. The proposed setup would direct inbound ships from the Indian Ocean through Iranian territorial waters and outbound ships along Oman's southern coast. Iranian officials described the measure as lasting one to three months and asserted that Iran would hold dominant control over the passage, which normally carries roughly one fifth of global oil shipments in peacetime.

The arrangement aims to address environmental and security costs, according to statements from Iran's Foreign Ministry. A member of Tehran's negotiating team told state media that the legal regime governing the strait should not revert to its pre conflict status in which no single state exercised primary authority. Omani participation would allow both nations to collect fees while restoring limited traffic after months of severe restrictions.

US President Donald Trump stated that direct negotiations with Iran are underway at Tehran's request and represent a final opportunity to settle terms for reopening the waterway. He described Iranian leaders as duplicitous for publicly denying talks even while engaging in them through intermediaries. Trump noted that discussions cover the strait's operation and warned that failure to reach an accord would leave few remaining options.

Iranian spokesmen rejected claims of bilateral talks with Washington and insisted that contacts are limited to Oman. Qatari officials confirmed that their diplomats along with those from Pakistan and Oman are exchanging drafts between the two sides. This indirect channel has produced mixed market signals. Brent crude prices rose more than 2 percent on Tuesday after reports of another cargo ship attack near the Omani coast, then eased as confirmation of ongoing mediation spread.

The five month conflict has already reduced Hormuz traffic to a small fraction of normal volumes. The proposed service fees would add direct costs to shippers already facing higher insurance rates and longer alternative routes. Historical patterns show that attempts to impose tolls on strategic chokepoints often generate disputes over enforcement and revenue sharing rather than stable access.

Trump has issued repeated deadlines for Iranian concessions on the strait, each time followed by extensions or revised demands. Iranian officials continue to frame their Oman talks as an independent effort to manage the waterway without conceding broader political points. The gap between public denials and reported back channel activity underscores the difficulty of verifying commitments when both sides face domestic pressures to appear unyielding.

Global energy markets remain sensitive to any sign that traffic will resume or face further disruption. The addition of user fees by Iran and Oman would represent a new layer of expense layered on top of existing security risks. Observers note that such arrangements rarely eliminate underlying incentives for one party to restrict access when leverage appears available.