A woman walks past a mural depicting Iran's late supreme leader Ali Khamenei at Valiasr Square in central Tehran, Aug. 8. AFP-Yonhap
DUBAI/WASHINGTON/CAIRO — Iran said it was nearing a final pact with Oman defining new shipping lanes between them through the Strait of Hormuz but repeated that the U.S. must meet other conditions, including compensation and an end to sanctions and military threats, before the strategic waterway is reopened.
A U.S. official told Reuters on Friday that Iran and Oman were close to a deal that could pave the way for restoring safe passage through the strait, a major conduit for oil and gas shipping before Iran blocked Hormuz in response to U.S. and Israeli attacks on Tehran that began in late February.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Sunday an agreement with Oman on the strait was in its "final stages" but reiterated comments made on Saturday that Tehran would not reopen the channel unless the U.S. met certain demands made by Tehran.
The deal with Iran would set out the new shipping lanes to be used once the U.S. fulfils those conditions and the strait is reopened, Iran's Mehr news agency quoted him as saying.
