Trump Said He Would Declare It US Territory; Iran and Oman Near Agreement on “Maritime Map” in the Strait of Hormuz

Iran and Oman are nearing an agreement on how to manage the Strait of Hormuz, Bloomberg reported on Saturday, adding that the two sides are reaching an agreement on routes through the strategically important waterway.

The “maritime map,” Bloomberg continued, is part of a broader agreement to regulate traffic through the Strait and constitutes a separate agreement between Iran and Oman that would preserve their sovereignty and ensure the safe passage of vessels.

This was the context for statements by Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghai, as reported by the Defa Press agency. He said the talks were progressing well despite obstacles from the US side. The state news agency did not specify whether vessels would be charged a transit fee or what security measures would be put in place for them, but said a new round of talks would be held.

The Strait has proved to be the most difficult obstacle to ending the nearly six-month war between the US and Iran. The US did not take part in these negotiations, but its position has been that it will not accept an agreement that does not restore unconditional freedom of navigation in the Strait.

Uncertainty over how freedom of navigation in the Strait will be fully restored has kept oil prices high, with Brent rising 6% in recent days. In addition, uncertainty is being fueled by dozens of attacks on vessels, which have left a total of 17 sailors dead.

For its part, the US is also investing in economic warfare to exert pressure on Iran, with Donald Trump saying on Friday that Washington plans to hit the Iranian economy hard.

Speaking on Fox, he added that he did not care whether the war ended before the November midterm elections. That same day, the US president said he would “very soon” declare the Strait of Hormuz “territory of the United States” — but it is unclear how he would carry out that promise.