Under the emerging agreement, ships would enter the Persian Gulf through an Iranian-controlled route and exit through a route controlled by Oman, with service fees charged for providing security and preserving the maritime environment, two regional officials told the Associated Press.<\/p>\n
They said negotiations are still underway and that the final agreement could take a different form. They said any deal would be linked to lifting the US blockade on Iran\u2019s ports.<\/p>\n
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive negotiations unfolding behind closed doors.<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n Key events<\/p>\n Closing summary<\/p>\n Iran and Oman<\/a> made progress on Tuesday toward a deal to reopen the strait of Hormuz, a potential breakthrough that could help end the war, regional officials said. Under the emerging agreement, ships would enter the Persian Gulf through an Iranian-controlled route and exit through a route controlled by Oman, with service fees charged for providing security and preserving the maritime environment, two regional officials told the Associated Press.<\/p>\n US secretary of state Marco Rubio \u2060said \u200bthere has been \u2060progress made in discussions with Iran \u2060and Oman<\/a> \u200bon \u200cgetting \u200cmore ships through \u200cthe strait of Hormuz but no final agreement has been \u200creached. \u201cThere\u2019s been progress made \u200bin those talks, but not finality yet. \u2060We\u2019re hoping that \u200bwill happen \u200bvery \u200bshortly,\u201d Rubio \u200btold reporters \u200cat \u200bthe \u200bUS state department.<\/p>\n The US treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, said Washington could reach a deal with Iran<\/a> by tomorrow to reopen the strait of Hormuz. \u201cWe are in talks with the Iranians, and I think there is a chance we may have a deal today or tomorrow to open the strait and move towards a more normalised position in this conflict,\u201d he said in an interview with CNBC<\/a>.<\/p>\n Qatar\u2019s foreign ministry said efforts to reach a diplomatic solution between the US and Iran<\/a> were \u201congoing\u201d, despite conflicting statements from Tehran and Washington over whether negotiations had resumed. \u201cWe can confirm that the efforts are still ongoing with all parties,\u201d the ministry spokesperson, Majed al-Ansari, told reporters at a briefing today.<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s president was also forced to deny claims that he has repeatedly threatened to resign as he battles hardline factions opposed to reaching a settlement with the US over the strait of Hormuz. Masoud Pezeshkian accused some of wishing to create a rift inside Iran and said: \u201cIf I want to resign, I will officially announce that I have resigned. I will not resign, I will stand.\u201d Here\u2019s our story<\/a> on that.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Israel\u2019s PM Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli forces will not withdraw from their current lines in Gaza until Hamas has completely disarmed. Sugessting there were differences between Israel and the Trump administration<\/a> over a recent deal announced to disarm the militant group, Netanyahu, who faces a tough battle for re-election in October, said that Hamas\u2019s disarmament should come first, and that Israeli forces would continue to \u201cdo whatever is necessary to protect themselves, our territory, and our citizens.\u201d He added that the Trump administration \u201csent us a draft. We did not agree. It is not our draft. We sent our comments. This is our position. We stand firm on our interests, I believe both wisely and resolutely.\u201d<\/p>\n And the \u2060latest round of US-facilitated talks between \u2060Israel \u2060and Lebanon \u200balso began on Tuesday in Rome \u2060and will continue through Thursday, \u2060US state department spokesperson Tommy \u200bPigott said. \u201cThese discussions bring together technical teams from both governments to advance full implementation of the Trilateral Framework, including the pilot zone process, verified disarmament of Hizballah and other Iran-backed security threats, redeployment of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon, and laying the ground for a comprehensive peace and security agreement,\u201d Pigott wrote \u200bin \u200ca post<\/a> \u200bon \u200bX.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a018.13 EDT<\/p>\n The US military has exhausted almost 80% of its interceptors for a key missile defence system as senior US military commanders are warning that the Pentagon\u2019s munitions stockpile is \u201cdangerously low\u201d, CNN is reporting<\/a>, citing multiple sources familiar with the matter.<\/p>\n Two sources familiar with the latest inventory report have told CNN that stockpiles of key air defence systems have been particularly depleted during the war against Iran<\/a>, and the US military has burned through nearly four-fifths of its THAAD missile inventory and roughly half of its Patriot interceptors since the start of the war.<\/p>\n The US military has also used \u201cvirtually all\u201d of its highly accurate long-range, surface-to-air weapons during the conflict, a source familiar with recent internal Pentagon reports told CNN. Reuters first reported<\/a> on those concerns about US stockpiles of long-range strategic missiles.<\/p>\n Per CNN\u2019s report:<\/p>\n double quotation markThe recent warnings about munitions shortages – coupled with other intelligence presented to Trump about the potential negative effects of striking Iran\u2019s critical infrastructure, including energy-related targets, and concerns voiced by Gulf countries – have been compelling enough to convince some of Trump\u2019s most hawkish advisers there were was reason to call off planned operations over the weekend, the sources said.<\/p>\n Trump on Friday was planning to move forward with massive strikes, and defense secretary Pete Hegseth received the final \u2018go ahead\u2019 order on Friday, according to a senior Trump official.<\/p>\n But Trump decided to back off after talking with Middle East allies on Saturday, who told him they were afraid of Iranian retaliation, specifically retaliatory attacks on their energy infrastructure, according to the official. Trump agreed to hear them, and Iran, out. He subsequently told Hegseth to stand down, for now, but is not taking the planned strikes off the table for a future date.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.26 EDT<\/p>\n Donald Trump and Qatar\u2019s emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani discussed efforts \u2060to narrow differences between Washington and Tehran and improve the prospects for a lasting settlement during a phone call, Qatar\u2019s emiri office said.<\/p>\n It said the emir stressed the importance of dialogue and adherence to the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding of mid-June that provided for the immediate cessation of military operations.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.41 EDT<\/p>\n Masoud Pezeshkian, Iran\u2019s president, has been forced to deny claims that he has repeatedly threatened to resign as he battles hardline factions opposed to reaching a settlement with the US over the strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n The US and Europe hope a deal is imminent to reopen the strait and they are putting pressure on Oman<\/a> to accept a temporary agreement that officials in Muscat fear will leave Iran retaining near permanent dominance of the vital oil shipping channel. Ships would enter the strait in a route close to Iran, but leave on a route that passes through Iranian and Omani waters.<\/p>\n But far from being feted over an imminent diplomatic victory, Pezeshkian was instead forced to deny that he had repeatedly offered to resign, verbally and in writing, during a television interview marking his second anniversary in the job.<\/p>\n Pezeshkian accused some of wishing to create a rift inside Iran and said: \u201cIf I want to resign, I will officially announce that I have resigned. I will not resign, I will stand.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Coast guards rescued the crew of an Indian-flagged commercial ship that sank in the Red Sea on Tuesday after an attack, a local official in the Yemeni city of Mokha said.<\/p>\n Yemen\u2019s internationally recognised government blamed the Iran-backed Houthi rebels for the attack, according to the official Saba news agency.<\/p>\n Last month, the Houthis declared a Red Sea maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia, the world\u2019s largest exporter of crude, and have since claimed several attacks on oil tankers and infrastructure.<\/p>\n All of the MSV Faize Noore Oliya\u2019s crew members, comprising 13 Indian nationals and one Yemeni, were rescued after the vessel came under attack south of the port city of Hodeida, the official from Mokha said.<\/p>\n Indian shipping minister Sarbananda Sonowal said on X the vessel was \u201chit by a projectile near Yemeni waters\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cIndia strongly condemns this unprovoked attack\u201d, he added.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Qatar\u2019s Emir and president Donald Trump<\/a> discussed efforts to reduce escalation and converge viewpoints between the US and Iran, the Emir\u2019s office said.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Netanyahu: No Israeli withdrawal from Gaza until Hamas disarmed<\/p>\n Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli forces will not withdraw from their current lines in Gaza until Hamas has completely disarmed.<\/p>\n In remarks on social media, Netanyahu suggested there were differences between Israel and the Trump administration<\/a> over a recent deal announced to disarm the militant group.<\/p>\n The agreement called for Hamas to begin disarming and for Israel to halt its strikes and begin withdrawing from Gaza. It was part of an October ceasefire agreement that ended major military operations but has stalled on other fronts.<\/p>\n Netanyahu, who faces a tough battle for re-election in October, said that disarmament should come first, and that Israeli forces would continue to \u201cdo whatever is necessary to protect themselves, our territory, and our citizens.\u201d<\/p>\n He added the Trump administration \u201csent us a draft. We did not agree. It is not our draft. We sent our comments.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is our position. We stand firm on our interests, I believe both wisely and resolutely.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.48 EDT<\/p>\n \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter who gets the credit for making the deal; all we ask is that the sea be safe again. Our only means of earning a living is fishing, and each day that the sea remains tense is another day without an income,\u201d Ahmed, a 52-year-old fisherman near the strait of Hormuz, told the Guardian.<\/p>\n \u201cThe sea has provided livelihood for our families for generations. We hope that the politicians make a quick decision so we can resume our fishing without fear of attacks, limitations, or being caught up in the middle,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not only the large oil companies that get hurt when the strait is closed or dangerous, Ahmed said. \u201cFishermen such as ourselves have everything taken away from us. We hope that this deal will restore peace in the strait.\u201d He added: \u201cOur fishing nets have been empty not because there aren\u2019t any fish, but because many of us are afraid to go out into the sea.\u201d<\/p>\n Vessels in the strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, on 15 June. Photograph: ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Any agreement formalising Iran\u2019s control of the strait of Hormuz would mark a significant strategic victory for Tehran. For that reason, the United States could seek to block a deal by refusing to lift its blockade of Iran\u2019s ports.<\/p>\n A reminder that the critical waterway was an open international waterway before the US and Israel attacked Iran on 28 February.<\/p>\n A US official familiar with the negotiations told the Associated Press on Tuesday that any \u201ctemporary\u201d routes established through the strait would not involve approvals by Iran or charges.<\/p>\n The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said the US remains committed to returning to the status quo in which \u201cno party controls the lanes or the ability to transit through them\u201d.<\/p>\n That\u2019s in line with what Donald Trump said on Monday. The US president told reporters in the Oval Office that he\u2019s opposed to tolling in the strait (unless it\u2019s the US). \u201cI\u2019m not going to let them charge,\u201d Trump said. \u201cAnybody\u2019s going to charge, we\u2019ll charge.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Further to our earlier post<\/a> citing regional officials, Iran\u2019s foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei has said that Iran is continuing negotiations with Oman aimed at ensuring the safe flow of traffic through the strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n As cited in Iranian state media, Baghaei said discussions focused on designating safe inbound and outbound lanes while protecting both countries\u2019 sovereign rights and national security interests.<\/p>\n \u201cIran is working with Oman<\/a> to develop the necessary mechanisms for future arrangements governing the management of maritime traffic through this strategic waterway,\u201d he said, adding that the talks have been assessed positively at both technical and political levels.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>New round of US-facilitated Israel-Lebanon talks have begun, says US state department<\/p>\n The \u2060latest round of US-facilitated talks between \u2060Israel \u2060and Lebanon \u200bbegan on Tuesday in Rome \u2060and will continue through Thursday, \u2060US state department spokesperson Tommy \u200bPigott \u200chas said.<\/p>\n \u201cThese discussions bring together technical teams from both governments to advance full implementation of the Trilateral Framework, including the pilot zone process, verified disarmament of Hizballah and other Iran-backed security threats, redeployment of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon, and laying the ground for a comprehensive peace and security agreement,\u201d Pigott wrote \u200bin \u200ca post<\/a> \u200bon \u200bX.<\/p>\n He added: \u201cThe United \u200cStates remains fully \u200ccommitted to supporting both governments as they carry this process forward in \u200ca manner that delivers lasting security \u200bfor both countries, eliminates security threats to Israel, \u2060and restores Lebanese state authority \u200bthroughout \u200bthe south.\u201d \u200b<\/p>\n A reminder that at negotiations in Washington in June, Israel and Lebanon agreed to a framework deal that involves the disarmament of Hezbollah, a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon\u2019s south and the deployment of the Lebanese army to the region, starting in test areas known as \u201cpilot zones\u201d.<\/p>\n This week\u2019s negotiations are the seventh round of US-mediated talks since Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East war in March with rocket fire at Israel in support of its backer Iran.<\/p>\n Israel responded with heavy airstrikes and a ground invasion that has killed more than 4,300 people in Lebanon.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a014.21 EDT<\/p>\n The day so far<\/p>\n Iran and Oman<\/a> have made progress toward a deal to reopen the strait of Hormuz, a potential breakthrough that could help end the war in the Middle East, regional officials have said. Under the emerging agreement, ships would enter the Persian Gulf through an Iranian-controlled route and exit through a route controlled by Oman, with service fees charged for providing security and preserving the maritime environment, two regional officials told the Associated Press.<\/p>\n US secretary of state Marco Rubio \u2060said \u200bthere has been \u2060progress made in discussions with Iran \u2060and Oman<\/a> \u200bon \u200cgetting \u200cmore ships through \u200cthe strait of Hormuz but no final agreement has been \u200creached. \u201cThere\u2019s been progress made \u200bin those talks, but not finality yet. \u2060We\u2019re hoping that \u200bwill happen \u200bvery \u200bshortly,\u201d Rubio \u200btold reporters \u200cat \u200bthe \u200bState Department.<\/p>\n The US treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, said Washington could reach a deal with Iran<\/a> by tomorrow to reopen the strait of Hormuz. \u201cWe are in talks with the Iranians, and I think there is a chance we may have a deal today or tomorrow to open the strait and move towards a more normalised position in this conflict,\u201d Bessent said in an interview with CNBC<\/a>.<\/p>\n Qatar\u2019s foreign ministry said efforts to reach a diplomatic solution between the US and Iran<\/a> were \u201congoing\u201d, despite conflicting statements from Tehran and Washington over whether negotiations had resumed. \u201cWe can confirm that the efforts are still ongoing with all parties,\u201d the ministry spokesperson, Majed al-Ansari, told reporters at a briefing today.<\/p>\n Iraq exported over 30 million barrels of crude oil in one month through the strategic strait of Hormuz, data from the maritime tracking firm Kpler showed on Tuesday. Before the Middle East war, which choked shipments through the vital waterway, Iraq produced around four million barrels per day, and exported an average of 105 million barrels per month, mostly from its Basra oil terminal via Hormuz.<\/p>\n Donald Trump has criticised oil companies for \u201cmaking too much money\u201d from the global energy market disruption caused by his war on Iran. Brent crude had been trading at about $70 (\u00a352) a barrel before the first US-Israeli strikes at the end of February, but by the end of April it had soared as high as $126 and is now trading at about $85 a barrel.<\/p>\n Lebanese and Israeli negotiators have resumed direct talks in Rome, marking the seventh such meeting since the war between Israel<\/a> and Hezbollah began in March. In televised remarks, Hezbollah\u2019s leader, Naim Qassem, criticised the talks, saying they would bring \u201cshame, humiliation and disappointment\u201d to Lebanon and \u201csuccessive concessions\u201d.<\/p>\n A mass funeral was held in Gaza City on Tuesday for 112 Palestinians whose bodies were recovered nearly three years after Israeli warplanes flattened a residential block. Hundreds of people gathered as the bodies wrapped in Palestinian flags were laid in rows near the destroyed buildings before being carried on stretchers through a narrow street for burial in a nearby cemetery.<\/p>\n![\"Patrick](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Patrick-Wintour,-R.png\")
Patrick Wintour<\/p>\n![\"Haroon](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Haroon_Janjua.png\")
Haroon Janjua<\/p>\n