Iran and Oman have held further talks on managing maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, with officials discussing a temporary navigational corridor intended to support the restoration of safe passage.

The two countries said they had considered a joint temporary corridor and agreed that mines should be cleared from the route. Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi expressed hope that the corridor and the practical arrangements needed to resume safe navigation could be announced soon following discussions with his Iranian counterpart.

The talks come after weeks of intermittent negotiations over traffic management in the strait. Before the conflict began in February 2026, the waterway handled about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. Most shipping has since been halted as Iran and the United States have sought to assert control through separate blockades.

Although direct hostilities between the United States and Iran have largely eased, diplomatic efforts to secure a peace agreement remain stalled. Continuing attacks on vessels have also left navigation through the strait hazardous.

U.S. President Donald Trump repeated a previous assertion that all mines in the strait had been cleared and warned Iran against laying additional mines. Iran and Oman, however, have included mine clearance in their discussions over the proposed temporary route.

Commercial shipping is also facing uncertainty following Iran’s announcement of a blacklist covering 45 vessels. The measure appeared intended to disrupt ship-to-ship transfers used by Gulf energy producers to circumvent the Iranian blockade. Some companies are planning to stop using vessels placed on the list, according to sources cited in the report.

The United States has separately threatened action against countries that continue doing business with Iran, although it said penalties would not be imposed immediately. Iran rejected Washington’s effort to isolate its economy and said it expected many countries not to participate in the pressure campaign.

Oil prices fell for a third consecutive day, declining by more than $2 per barrel to a two-week low amid indications of renewed efforts to find a mediated end to the conflict.

Washington has also begun returning personnel to some diplomatic missions in the Middle East that had been evacuated or reduced during the tensions. Some embassies are expected initially to operate below full capacity. The move indicates that the United States may see a lower near-term risk of escalation, while the proposed Hormuz corridor remains under negotiation.