Tehran: Iran is preparing a list of conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz as regional diplomatic efforts intensify to restore normal shipping through the strategic waterway.
The development follows Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, visit to Tehran on Thursday. He held talks with senior Iranian officials as Qatar sought to reduce tensions and create conditions for renewed dialogue between Iran and the United States.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a major point of disagreement between Tehran and Washington. Iran has linked reopening the waterway to conditions that include an end to the war, an end to the US blockade on Iranian ports, compensation and the removal of sanctions.
Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said Iran was preparing its conditions after mediators asked Tehran to set them out. He also said Iran and Oman had agreed on a proposed shipping corridor through the Strait.
Qatar said its discussions with Iran included a proposed temporary joint shipping corridor and a joint project to clear mines from the Strait. Doha also stressed the importance of freedom of navigation and respect for international law.
The proposed arrangement with Oman is not yet a final agreement. Iran and Oman have been discussing a temporary shipping corridor through the Strait and a joint project to clear mines from the waterway. Details of the arrangement are still being worked out.
The Strait of Hormuz lies between Iran and Oman and connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman. Before the war, it carried about one fifth of global oil supplies, making any disruption there a major concern for energy markets and international trade.
Despite the diplomatic efforts, commercial shipping remains far below normal levels.
Preliminary shipping data showed that seven commodity vessels passed through the Strait on Thursday, below the 10 day average of 15. The figures can change because some vessels may turn off their tracking systems.
The United States has said that international shipping lanes in the Strait are open. US Central Command has also said that American forces cleared sea mines from the international shipping lanes and helped commercial vessels pass through the waterway.
However, the low number of vessels using the Strait shows that the situation remains far from normal. Ship operators continue to face security risks linked to the wider conflict and uncertainty over Iran’s position.
The International Maritime Organization had recorded 68 confirmed maritime incidents in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider region as of August 21, with 19 confirmed seafarer fatalities. The UN maritime agency has continued to monitor the situation and has expressed concern for more than 20,000 seafarers in the region, including people stranded on vessels unable to leave the Strait.
The maritime risks have increased pressure on governments and regional mediators to find an arrangement that would allow commercial vessels to move more safely.
Qatar has taken an increasingly active role in the diplomatic effort. Sheikh Mohammed met Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi during his visit and also held talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.
The talks came as the United States said it was not currently negotiating directly with Iran. President Donald Trump said Washington was not looking to meet with Tehran, while the White House said its economic pressure campaign against Iran would continue until Tehran decides to negotiate meaningfully.
Iranian officials have continued to signal that Tehran is open to diplomacy, while maintaining conditions for any wider negotiations.
The latest diplomatic efforts follow a memorandum of understanding reached in June through regional mediation. The wider arrangement later broke down, with the future of the Strait of Hormuz remaining one of the major disputes.
The current discussions are focused on finding a practical way to restore maritime traffic while addressing the wider political dispute.
For now, Iran and the United States have not confirmed an agreementto fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Iran is preparing its conditions, while Qatar and Oman continue their diplomatic and technical efforts.
The immediate challenge is to turn the proposed temporary shipping arrangements into a system that commercial vessels can use safely. Whether this can lead to wider negotiations between Washington and Tehran remains uncertain.