Ali Akbar Darani, a researcher at the Iranian Center for Strategic Studies, said that Iran and Oman are close to reaching an agreement on the future administration of the Strait of Hormuz, with the main obstacle being US pressure on Oman to adopt a more aligned stance with Washington. Darani stated that Iran considers future control of the strait crucial to its national security. This comes after months of US strikes against Iran, which Iran claims originated from bases in the region. Darani said the ongoing negotiations between Iran and Oman offer the US a “good opportunity to get out of this quagmire” by acknowledging that Iran and Oman are the countries that will determine the “future” of the Strait of Hormuz. “But the Strait of Hormuz can never return to its pre-war state,” he continued. “The geopolitics of the region has changed.”
