U.S. sources on the 3rd, citing Iranian and U.S. officials, said Iran and Oman
are close to an agreement on navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. Under the
draft, vessels entering the Persian Gulf would use an Iran-controlled lane near
Iran’s coast while outbound ships would use a lane near Oman, and multiple
Iranian officials said transiting vessels would pay a "service fee" to be split
between Iran and Oman. A U.S. official familiar with the talks said Iran’s
description was inaccurate and that any temporary lane in the Strait would not
require Iranian approval and would not impose charges on passing ships.
