Iran war diplomacy shifts focus to reopening Strait of Hormuz

The waterway that once carried roughly one-fifth of the planet’s oil and liquefied natural gas is still effectively shut down. Six months into the conflict that paralyzed shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, Iran is now signaling it wants to talk about turning the taps back on, but only on its terms. Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said on August 27, 2026, that Tehran is assembling a formal list of demands for the resumption of maritime traffic through the strait. At the top of that list: the United States lifts its naval blockade, removes sanctions, and halts military operations across the region, including in Lebanon and Gaza. The Oman corridor and the fine print Since mid-August 2026, Iran and Oman have been quietly negotiating what amounts to a temporary joint maritime corridor through the strait. The arrangement would involve shared revenue and shared oversight of the passage, giving Oman, which sits directly across from Iran on the strait’s southern shore, a formal role in managing traffic. Formal talks on a permanent version of this arrangement are expected within the next 30 to 60 days. But even the temporary corridor hinges entirely ...