To break the stalemate in the Strait of Hormuz, both Iran and the US are trying to enlist allies to tip the balance in their favor. But efforts from both sides have run up against clear roadblocks.
The US has received a cool reception in Europe to renewed overtures for joint patrols, while another meeting between Iran and Oman ended with little concrete progress.
On the US side, a report from Politico on Tuesday detailed how Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has been urging European allies, including the United Kingdom and France, to join a naval coalition — but is facing skepticism across Europe.
Efforts to convene an international conference of allies appear on hold, the outlet reported, as Europeans wait for signs of an enduring ceasefire.
Meanwhile, there’s scant evidence of a durable cessation of hostilities.
“We have had some very good talks,” President Trump told Fox News on Tuesday morning, only to see Iran launch new attacks a few hours later.
Satellite imagery shows the Strait of Hormuz between southern Iran and Oman. (Maps4media via Getty Images) · maps4media via Getty Images
On the other side, new talks between Iran and Oman were held over the weekend with similarly little to show.
Oman borders the southern side of the Strait of Hormuz, opposite Iran, and has previously talked about potentially joining a tolling effort. But the latest meetings in Tehran ended without concrete announcements.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said in a statement that talks were “fruitful and some progress was made.” The two sides, he said, “exchanged views on common principles” and that technical talks would continue.
The two nations have taken differing approaches to their shared waterway.
Iran has made a push to establish a “Persian Gulf Strait Authority” that could levy tolls by the fall, while Oman has blessed a second route closer to its coastline and supported by the US that would be free to transit.
Meanwhile, the latest update on Wednesday on shipping traffic from independent service MarineTraffic showed the divide.
“Traffic through Hormuz remained highly concentrated,” MarineTraffic noted, with Iran’s preferred route seeing 10 passages in the previous day and the Omani route seeing two passages.
Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks during a bilateral meeting with President Donald Trump and President of Lebanon on July 21. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) · Kevin Dietsch via Getty Images
Efforts from both Iran and the US to enlist allies stretch back months. Trump made a very public plea in March — and saw a similar tepid response — leading the president to declare Europe’s help wasn’t needed.
And while Iran and Oman have engaged in months of up-and-down talks, Trump declared in May that “Oman will behave just like everyone else, or we’ll have to blow them up.”
The stalled diplomatic efforts come as the US paused strikes on Iran since Friday, following 12 days of bombing. But Iran launched a surprise attack on US forces on Tuesday night that US Central Command said was successfully intercepted.
Ben Werschkul is a Washington correspondent for Yahoo Finance.
Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance