Iranian and Omani officials have reached an agreement to open a temporary new shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz, but the plan cannot move forward unless the United States lifts its naval blockade and returns to the terms of a previous truce. That condition was reported Thursday by a news outlet run by Iran's military.
The announcement came as Qatar's foreign minister traveled to Tehran for talks with his Iranian counterpart aimed at creating what both sides described as suitable conditions for dialogue. Qatar and Pakistan have been working as mediators to draw the U.S. and Iran back into direct negotiations to end a war that has now stretched nearly six months. Qatar said the foreign ministers also discussed the Iran-Oman shipping proposal during the meeting.
President Trump pushed back against any suggestion that Iran holds leverage in the standoff. On Thursday he insisted that Iran is "begging to make a deal." In a Truth Social post, he wrote, "I don't want to meet, they do." Earlier the same day, he told reporters his administration is "not looking to meet" with Iran, arguing that the naval blockade on Iranian ports and tightening sanctions have inflicted severe damage on the country.
On Wednesday, Trump told Al Jazeera that the U.S. was "achieving a very big victory" against Iran, but that the war "will continue for as long as necessary" and that there is no timetable to resume peace talks with Tehran.
Iranian officials have not publicly matched Trump's tone. They have stood firm publicly, saying the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed to shipping traffic unless the U.S. returns to the temporary deal the two sides struck earlier this summer. Trump has claimed the strait is open, but ships have been reluctant to sail through the vital waterway.
Qatar's foreign minister, during his Thursday visit to Tehran, urged both sides to resume the diplomatic process.
In a separate but related development, Pakistan's military announced Thursday that it has agreed to assist Kuwait's military with training, capacity building, and border management. Kuwait's defense minister signed the deal during a visit to the Pakistani garrison city of Rawalpindi. Gulf states, long reliant on American protection, have been exploring alternative security arrangements since the Iran war began. In early August, Saudi Arabia signed a mutual defense pact with Pakistan and Turkey.
Pakistan said Thursday it was also continuing its own diplomatic outreach to Iran, citing a recent visit to Tehran focused on reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump also fielded questions Thursday about whether the U.S. would sanction Chinese banks, responding to a reporter with the question, "Who says I'm not?"
