Iran says it’s in the final stage of drafting an agreement on the Strait of Hormuz waterway with Oman, while two Israeli soldiers have been killed in Lebanon.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baghaei, has said an agreement on the Strait of Hormuz with Oman, which lies on the other side of the waterway, is in the “final stage” of drafting. Speaking Wednesday, he said a joint statement will be issued “if certain parties do not obstruct this process,” apparently referring to the U.S.
The agreement is likely to be contingent on the U.S. lifting its blockade on Iran’s ports.
The strait is crucial to global shipping and energy supplies. Before the war, which began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran in February, around one-fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas passed through the waterway at the mouth of the Persian Gulf.
On Thursday, all eyes were on the U.S. for the next development.
At least two Greek-controlled ships were hit in the Strait of Hormuz in the past week, while several others reported near misses or warnings from entities claiming to represent Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard, according to maritime data company Lloyd’s List Intelligence.
The company added that Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels continued to claim attacks on ships in the Red Sea. The claims could not be independently verified.
Vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz increased to 84 transits during the week of July 27 to Aug. 2, up from 45 the previous week. But traffic is still far below the more than 700 transits seen in a typical week before the crisis, Lloyd’s List said.
“This is one data point. It’s not indicative that owners are more confident in the situation,” said Bridget Diakun, Maritime Intelligence & Research Director at Lloyd’s List Intelligence
Traffic by ships not linked to Iran also increased, rising from 28 transits to 52, driven mainly by the return of gas carriers and container ships, according to Lloyd’s List Intelligence.
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