Breaking news: Iran is signaling that it may set its own traffic rules for the Strait of Hormuz if it cannot reach an agreement with Oman, raising a new control dispute over the waterway just as Washington and Tehran argue over whether Qatar talks are actually happening.
The Japan Times, citing Bloomberg, reported that Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi told Iranian state television that Tehran wants an arrangement with Oman to oversee ships passing through Hormuz. But he said Iran would move ahead with its own traffic-control plans “if for any reason Oman is not interested in doing so.”
Gharibabadi also warned that “other countries have no right to interfere” and said Iran would designate any temporary transit routes through the strait. That makes the dispute bigger than demining or escort missions. Tehran is now openly asserting that it should shape the rules for how commercial vessels move through a chokepoint that carries a major share of global oil and gas shipments.
Why this is a new angle
List25 previously covered Iran’s rejection of a French-Omani demining plan. This update goes further: Iran is not only objecting to outside mine-clearing work, it is also saying it may unilaterally define temporary routes and traffic management if Oman does not agree to a joint system.
That matters because the U.S.-Iran interim framework was supposed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz while a longer-term settlement is negotiated. The practical fight now is over what “open” means. Washington and its partners want free passage. Iran is arguing that safe passage runs through Iranian-approved procedures.
Shipping has resumed, but not normally
BNN Bloomberg, carrying Associated Press reporting, said ship traffic through Hormuz has continued at reduced levels after the latest strikes. The report said 44 vessels transited Sunday, with most traffic shifting north under Iranian coordination, while shipping operators continued assessing risk instead of returning to pre-crisis patterns.
The AP report also said Iran has set up a vetting process for vessels, seeking information on crews, destinations and cargo. That creates a legal and commercial dilemma for ship operators because the process is run by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which the U.S. and European Union classify as a terrorist organization. Any payments or formal dealings could create sanctions exposure.
MarineTraffic data cited in the same report showed 108 weekend crossings, split across the U.S.-backed Omani route, the Iranian route, unknown routes used by vessels running dark, and a smaller number using a prewar central route. That split suggests the waterway is functioning, but still under crisis conditions.
Doha diplomacy remains disputed
The traffic-control warning lands as the diplomatic track remains confused. Al Jazeera reported that President Donald Trump said a meeting with Iran would take place in Doha on Tuesday, while Iran’s Foreign Ministry denied any planned meeting with the United States. Tehran said it would send an expert delegation to Qatar to follow up on frozen Iranian funds, not to hold direct U.S. talks.
That gap between U.S. and Iranian messaging leaves the Hormuz issue exposed. If both sides cannot agree on the purpose of the Qatar track, the shipping dispute may become the main test of whether the stand-down can hold.
The risk for oil markets
The Strait of Hormuz is not just a regional security problem. It is a global energy artery. Even partial uncertainty over routes, escorts, insurance, or Iranian approval can affect oil markets, shipping costs, and fuel prices far outside the Gulf.
The immediate question is whether Oman and Iran can reach a practical maritime arrangement without turning the strait into an Iranian-controlled checkpoint. If they cannot, Tehran’s threat to write its own rules could turn the reopening of Hormuz from a ceasefire benefit into the next major source of escalation.
Sources: The Japan Times/Bloomberg, BNN Bloomberg/Associated Press, Al Jazeera.