Iran says met with Oman on managing Hormuz

TEHRAN – Iran yesterday said it had held its first meeting with Oman on managing the Strait of Hormuz since it signed a preliminary deal to end the Middle East war with the United States.

The announcement followed the US saying it had agreed with Iran to halt attacks after an exchange of strikes strained their deal, with the two sides planning to renew talks to end the conflict.

A series of exchanges of fire has underscored the fragility of the Pakistan-brokered agreement to stop the war, which sowed havoc across the Middle East and snarled the flow of oil and gas shipments through the vital Hormuz strait. Iran and Oman border the strait, through which a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passed prior to the conflict.

Tehran blockaded Hormuz to gain leverage over its foes, and it remains a key sticking point in the negotiations with the US.