The United States and Iran are set to hold fresh discussions over the security of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime route in the Gulf region. At a meeting scheduled to take place in Oman on Saturday, Washington is expected to demand assurances from Tehran that the strait will remain open and that no further attacks will be carried out against commercial vessels.
Citing US officials, American media outlets reported that Iran has already acknowledged responsibility for mistakes related to recent attacks on ships. However, Tehran has said that the incidents may have been carried out by groups that are not under the direct control of the government.
According to the White House, the recent attacks around the Strait of Hormuz violated the terms of the ceasefire agreement reached in June. US President Donald Trump has said that despite ongoing tensions, both countries have agreed to continue dialogue.
Iran, however, has presented a different account. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a social media post that Tehran has honored its commitments under the ceasefire agreement. He accused the United States of violating the terms of the deal.
Under the June agreement, Iran had pledged to ensure the safety of international commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Despite the commitment, tensions continued to rise in the area.
According to a report by CBS News, Tehran has claimed that some hardline groups in Iran attempted to derail diplomatic negotiations by carrying out attacks on vessels.
A US official said Iran has shown interest in returning to the negotiating table and normalizing the situation. According to the official, Tehran acknowledged that mistakes had been made and expressed a desire to move forward through dialogue.
A high-level US delegation will participate in the Oman talks. The delegation will include Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Iran will be represented by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
Ahead of the meeting, the United States sent messages to Iran through regional mediators. Washington is demanding that Tehran publicly confirm that maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz will continue and that no further attacks will target commercial vessels.
The United States is also seeking an acknowledgment from Iran regarding its role in the recent attacks.
Meanwhile, a Qatari delegation visited Iran on Friday as part of efforts to reduce tensions. President Trump said in a social media post that Iran had expressed willingness to resume talks and that the United States had agreed to the proposal. However, he warned that the situation before the ceasefire could not be restored.
Last Monday, three commercial vessels were attacked near the Strait of Hormuz in Omani waters. Iran has said that ships must follow designated maritime routes.
Earlier last month, the United States and Iran reached a 14-point memorandum of understanding aimed at making the ceasefire permanent and preventing further conflicts in the Gulf region.
The agreement also included discussions involving Iran, Oman and Gulf countries over the future management of the Strait of Hormuz.
Source: BBC