Mediators in the Iran war have renewed efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, with Tehran agreeing to draw up a list of conditions for restoring normal shipping traffic through the strategic waterway.
The development followed a visit to Tehran by Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who urged Iranian leaders to respect freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
The diplomatic push comes as the United States has stepped back from direct talks in favour of an economic pressure campaign against Tehran.
Qatar, a US ally and Gulf neighbour of Iran, has played a key role in mediation efforts alongside Pakistan.
The two countries helped broker a memorandum of understanding in June that led to a ceasefire and established terms for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Before the war, the narrow waterway between Iran and Oman served as a transit route for about 20% of the world’s oil supply.
Following the outbreak of the war between Iran, the United States and Israel six months ago, Tehran threatened to strike vessels transiting the strait without Iranian authorisation.
The threats sharply reduced shipping activity and contributed to higher global oil prices, giving Iran significant leverage in negotiations.
During his visit to Tehran on Thursday, Sheikh Mohammed said he had stressed the importance of restoring freedom of navigation through the waterway.
In a post on X, he said he had underscored to senior Iranian officials “the importance of respecting freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz in accordance with international law.”
Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, later said Tehran was preparing a list of conditions for reopening the strait following requests from mediators.
Rezaei said Iran had also reached an agreement with Oman on a shipping corridor through the Strait of Hormuz.
According to him, parts of the proposed route would pass through Omani waters, while other sections would run through Iranian waters.
He said vessels would use a designated central channel if the United States met Iran’s conditions.
Iran’s previous demands have included an end to the US blockade on Iranian ports, compensation for damages and the removal of sanctions.
However, it remains unclear whether Tehran intends to modify those demands to make them more acceptable to Washington.
Diplomatic communication between Iran and the United States has remained limited in recent weeks, with the two countries largely exchanging hostile statements while third parties continue mediation efforts.
Iran has continued to insist on returning to the June memorandum of understanding, which established a ceasefire and provided a 60-day window for negotiations.
However, the agreement quickly collapsed amid disagreements over the interpretation of Iran’s authority over shipping arrangements.
US President Donald Trump declared the memorandum of understanding “over” three weeks after it was signed.
Earlier this week, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said Iran and Oman had agreed in principle on managing traffic through the strait and sharing revenues.
However, a senior Iranian source later said the two countries were still working on the details of a possible agreement.
Meanwhile, US military commanders said American forces had cleared sea mines from the Strait of Hormuz that were allegedly laid months ago by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of the US military’s Central Command, said international shipping lanes were open and that efforts were underway to increase commercial traffic.
“Bottom line: today, international shipping lanes are open and momentum is building,” Cooper said in a video message posted on social media.
According to Cooper, US forces have helped about 1,500 commercial vessels carrying nearly 750 million barrels of crude oil transit through the strait in recent months.
Trump has repeatedly said the Strait of Hormuz remains open.
However, many commercial vessels have continued to avoid the waterway because of Iranian threats.
Ship tracking services have estimated that shipping activity through the strait remains between 5% and 15% of normal volumes.
The conflict has also taken a significant human toll, with thousands of deaths reported in Iran and 18 US service members killed during the conflict.
The United Nations’ International Maritime Organization has reported 70 incidents in the Strait of Hormuz since the start of the war, resulting in the deaths of 19 seafarers.
The latest diplomatic efforts could determine whether normal commercial shipping can resume through one of the world’s most important energy trade routes.
