Trump Claims Iran Talks Underway, Tehran Denies Direct Contact

Iran and Oman are nearing an agreement to establish a temporary shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz that would allow both nations to collect service fees for environmental and security costs. The arrangement would route inbound vessels from the Indian Ocean through Iranian territorial waters and outbound ships along Oman's southern coast, according to Iranian officials and reports from multiple diplomatic sources.

The proposal comes as the five-month conflict between Iran and a US-led coalition has reduced traffic through the waterway, which normally carries about one-fifth of global oil shipments. Iranian Foreign Ministry statements describe the route as lasting one to three months under a framework where Iran maintains operational dominance. Saeed Ajorlu, a member of Tehran's negotiating team, said the plan departs from the pre-war arrangement in which no single state controlled passage.

US President Donald Trump has described ongoing talks with Iran as a final opportunity to resolve the conflict, stating that discussions focus on reopening the strait and that Iran initiated the contacts. Trump has accused Iranian leaders of duplicity for publicly denying direct negotiations while pursuing them privately. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei has repeatedly stated that no talks with the United States are occurring and that discussions are limited to Oman.

Qatari officials confirmed that their diplomats, along with counterparts from Pakistan and Oman, are facilitating exchanges of proposals between Washington and Tehran. This mediation structure has allowed drafts to move without formal bilateral meetings, though the lack of public acknowledgment has created conflicting accounts on both sides. Oil prices rose more than 2 percent on Tuesday amid uncertainty over whether the diplomatic channel would produce results.

A separate incident involving an attack on a cargo vessel near Oman's coast added to market volatility. The UK Maritime Trade Operations Center reported the event, which occurred while traffic through the strait remained far below normal levels. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran would continue to defend its borders without seeking broader escalation.

The proposed route through Iranian waters represents a shift from longstanding international practice that treated the strait as an open international waterway. Iranian officials have argued that any long-term reopening must reflect changed realities on the ground rather than a return to prior conditions. US officials have not confirmed details of the service fee component or the precise routing.

The involvement of Oman and Qatar as intermediaries follows a pattern in which Gulf states have sought to manage tensions without direct confrontation. These efforts have produced limited pauses in hostilities but have not yet yielded a comprehensive agreement to end the war. The current talks center narrowly on maritime access rather than broader issues such as sanctions relief or regional security guarantees.