IRAN has announced that it is close to reaching an agreement with Oman on a new arrangement involving the Strait of Hormuz, just hours after the United States postponed plans for a large-scale military strike to allow diplomatic efforts to continue.
The development follows an announcement by United States President Donald Trump on Saturday that Washington and Israel had agreed to delay further military action against Iran, saying the foundations of a possible agreement were already in place.
AFP reported on Monday that the latest diplomatic momentum comes after the conflict erupted on Feb 28, when the United States and Israel launched surprise attacks on Iran. Although subsequent rounds of negotiations helped contain tensions for a period, renewed exchanges of fire last month reignited fears of a broader regional conflict.
Trump had previously threatened what he described as an "extremely devastating" strike against Iran and was reportedly considering fresh attacks, including operations targeting the country's energy infrastructure. United States embassies across West Asia were also placed on heightened alert.
However, his position appeared to soften following intensified diplomatic engagement, including discussions with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Trump said Iran, together with several West Asian nations, had appealed for any military action to be postponed because the broad framework of an agreement had already been reached.
"Based on that request, I agreed to cancel the attack for the benefit of the world and for the continued existence of Iran as a successful and prosperous nation, provided the agreement can be finalised in the near future," he wrote on the Truth Social platform.
Trump did not elaborate on the current stage of the negotiations or provide details of the proposed agreement.
Iranian media, meanwhile, rejected claims that Tehran had appealed directly to Trump to refrain from launching an attack. - August 3, 2026
