Iran Demands Sole Control of Strait of Hormuz as Oman Pushes Regional Management

Recent progress claims. Iran said on July 26, 2026, that it had made progress in talks with Oman on strait management, even as the US resumed attacks on Iran . However, Iran has so far opposed Oman's regional consortium proposal .

The Broader Military Standoff (Since February 2026)

Operation Epic Fury. On February 28, 2026, the US and Israel launched a massive joint air campaign against Iran, code-named Operation Epic Fury, which killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and triggered hundreds of retaliatory missiles from Iran toward Israel and Gulf states .

Iran's closure of the strait. In retaliation, Iran's Revolutionary Guard immediately blocked the strait to unauthorized traffic, forbidding passage through the chokepoint .

Full closure in April. On April 18, 2026, Iran fully closed the Strait of Hormuz, firing on ships, after the US imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports .

Ceasefire collapse and resumed fighting. A brief ceasefire collapsed in early July 2026 after Iran attacked commercial ships in the strait . The US restarted its naval blockade on July 14 and launched multiple waves of airstrikes on Iran, with Iran retaliating by attacking targets in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, and Oman .

Collapse of Indirect US-Iran Negotiations in Oman

February 2026 talks. Oman mediated indirect US-Iran talks in Muscat on February 6 and again on February 26, focused on Iran's nuclear program. Both rounds ended without a deal; diplomats returned to their capitals .

Nuclear progress — then collapse. On February 28, Oman's foreign minister announced Iran had agreed never to accumulate enriched uranium, calling peace "within reach" . But hours later, the US-Israeli air war began, wiping out the diplomatic track.

Oman removed as mediator. By June 2026, a US official said Oman had been removed from its mediation role between the US and Iran , and the Soufan Center reported the "apparent collapse" of the US-Iran ceasefire by early July .

Oman's Proposal for a Regional Maritime Security Consortium

The proposal. Oman has formally presented a plan to Iran for a joint regional mechanism — a consortium of regional states — to manage the Strait of Hormuz collectively . Under this plan, Iran would not exercise sole control of the waterway . The proposal is modeled on the Strait of Malacca, where shipping companies voluntarily contribute funds to support navigation, environmental protection, and search-and-rescue operations .

Voluntary fees and dual corridors. The consortium would oversee maritime security, search-and-rescue operations, and other forms of regional cooperation. Participation and payments would be voluntary . Oman also floated a separate two-route shipping corridor plan with separately managed lanes — a Southern Corridor through Omani waters under pre-war conditions and a Northern Corridor through Iranian waters with potentially different rules .

Iran's response. Iran has so far opposed the consortium model because it dilutes Iran's unilateral authority . Iran prefers a strictly bilateral Iran-Oman arrangement where it leads fee collection and insists on mandatory payments, arguing vessels would otherwise be barred from transiting the strait .

Iran's Criticism of US Conduct

Iran has accused the US of seeking to dominate the region militarily and refusing to accept "new geopolitical realities" . It has framed the US naval blockade and resumed strikes as proof that Washington cannot be a neutral party in Hormuz governance . Tehran has also pointed to Israel's role in pushing the US into the war, citing Oman's own foreign minister, who said the US had "lost its grip on its own foreign policy" and blamed Israel for persuading Washington to attack .

Current Status (as of July 28, 2026)

The strait remains largely closed to unauthorized commercial shipping, the US blockade is active, periodic airstrikes continue, and the Iran-Oman talks are ongoing but stuck on the fundamental question of whether management will be bilateral (Iran's preference) or a regional consortium (Oman's proposal). No comprehensive ceasefire or strait-reopening deal is in place.