Ceasefire Expires as Hormuz Talks Stall and POW Dispute Flares

Iran announced on Monday that it has reached an understanding with Oman on a shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz and is working toward a joint statement. Iranian Foreign Affairs spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said an agreement covers the map of the transit path, with ships entering near Iranian waters and exiting near Omani waters during an interim period without fees or tolls. The strait carries roughly one-fifth of global traded oil supplies, and its closure has already reduced traffic sharply.

The announcement came as a 60-day ceasefire period between the United States and Iran expired with no extension and no formal agreement. Shipping data showed only five cargo vessels passed through on Saturday, and none were recorded the following day. The United States has maintained a blockade of Iranian ports and has demanded a verifiable reopening of the waterway that meets its standards before any easing of restrictions.

President Trump stated in an interview that informal contacts continue with elements of Iran's Revolutionary Guard but that Washington faces no deadline. He described the Iranian side as effective negotiators who are nonetheless under pressure. Trump also said the primary objective remains preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons in any form. Separately, he warned that the United States would bomb Oman if it interferes in the effort to secure passage through the strait.

Iran has separately accused Qatar of holding three Iranian pilots captured after an incident over Qatari airspace in March. Iranian officials cited Geneva Convention provisions on prisoner treatment and demanded the pilots' immediate release, claiming they have been denied contact with families or authorities. Qatar has stated it launched a search but has not confirmed possession of the pilots.

The combination of closed sea lanes and stalled diplomacy has direct effects on energy markets. Reduced traffic raises transport costs and tightens supply at a time when global demand remains steady. Past attempts to manage such chokepoints through layered negotiations have often produced delays rather than lasting access, leaving commercial traffic exposed to repeated leverage by the controlling parties.

Trump indicated the United States intends to treat the strait as U.S. territory once the current conflict concludes. That approach would shift the burden of enforcement away from multilateral understandings and toward direct American control of the passage. Such a move would require sustained naval presence and clear rules for transit that do not depend on the cooperation of states bordering the waterway.

The expiration of the ceasefire without a settlement leaves the underlying disputes over nuclear capabilities and shipping access unresolved. Iranian statements continue to frame the Oman discussions as a technical arrangement rather than a concession to external demands. Meanwhile, the drop in vessel traffic demonstrates how quickly commercial flows respond when security guarantees weaken.