Iran’s foreign minister is meeting in Oman to discuss safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz as tensions rise, with the United States seeking a promise of safe passage amid ongoing hostilities.
WASHINGTON, United States – Iran’s foreign minister arrived in Oman on Saturday to discuss plans for safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state media said, as Washington sought a public promise of free and safe transit.
US President Donald Trump said on Friday that the US and Iran have agreed to continue talks despite the escalation of hostilities this week, while also announcing the end of the ceasefire reached between the two sides. No attacks were reported on Friday or early Saturday, however.
Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency said on Saturday that Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi had arrived in Oman. The country is helping to resolve a war that has spread insecurity in the Gulf and raised prices around the world since the US and Israel launched airstrikes against Iran on February 28.
CBS News and its British affiliate BBC both reported that US Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner were expected to lead Saturday’s talks with Araqchi.
Reuters could not immediately confirm the reports, which did not say whether they would be in Oman or attending nearby. Iran’s Fars news agency later quoted a source as saying that no talks will take place until the US withdraws from its positions.
Iran says the US has violated the interim agreement
Araqchi accused the US of violating the ceasefire agreement; The United States revoked a license authorizing the sale of Iranian crude oil on Tuesday after the tankers were hit.
“There can only be a following around,” he wrote on X.
Three Qatari and Saudi oil tankers were attacked earlier this week, prompting the US to attack Iranian sites, and Iran responding to attacks on US military bases in the Gulf states.
While Iran has not claimed responsibility for the ship attacks, analysts say Tehran is using the actions to gain leverage in negotiations.
Senior US officials told reporters on Friday that Iran had informed US officials that recent attacks on ships in the region came from a “faulty part of their system”, comments that appeared aimed at de-escalating tensions.
The outbreak cast further doubt on the future of an interim agreement aimed at ending the conflict and pushing up oil prices, a politically sensitive issue for Trump ahead of November’s congressional elections.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran has asked us to continue the ‘dialogue.’ We have agreed to do so, but the US has told you, in no uncertain terms, that the Ceasefire Program is OVER!” Trump posted on his Community Truth forum on Friday.
Iran disputed Trump’s interpretation, saying it had not asked for talks with the United States but had agreed to host a Qatari mediator, state television reported. Qatari negotiators met with officials in Iran on Friday to ease tensions and discuss the Strait of Hormuz, a person familiar with the situation told Reuters.
Trump also posted that he has ordered the US military to be ready to attack Iran if Tehran executes or attempts to assassinate the president.
“1000 missiles have been packaged and loaded and directed at the Islamic Republic of Iran, and thousands more will immediately follow, if the Iranian Government follows through on its threat, voiced in many corners of the World, to kill, or attempt to kill, the sitting President of the United States of America, in this case, ME!,” he wrote.
The Wall Street Journal and other US media reported this week that Israel had shared intelligence with Washington that Iran had recently planned a plan to assassinate Trump.
There was no immediate comment from Iran on Trump’s latest remarks.
At the funeral of slain Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday, a large crowd of mourners filled the courtyard, some holding signs that read, “We will kill Trump.” Khamenei was killed in an airstrike on the first day of the war.
US officials report constructive talks with Iran
The United States wants Iran to say publicly that it will stop attacks on ships in the strait — and that all routes will be open toll-free through the waterway that carried a fifth of the world’s oil supply before the war, senior U.S. officials told reporters on Friday.
During the war Tehran has largely taken control of the strait, forcing it to stall in its confrontation with the world’s most powerful military.
At least 17 people were killed in US strikes in six cities in Iran on Wednesday and Thursday, the head of the public communication and information center at Iran’s Ministry of Health said. He said 115 people were injured.
However, US officials said talks between the two countries have been productive in recent days.
Tehran said any violation of commitments by Washington would be met with “equal measures,” a foreign ministry spokesman said, according to state media.
Last month’s interim agreement was meant to pave the way for an end to the conflict, now in its fifth month, which has killed thousands of people, disrupted global energy supplies and raised fears of a global economic downturn.
New fighting in the Gulf has added to the pain for American consumers. After weeks of steep declines, crude oil prices posted their biggest weekly gain in eight weeks. – Rappler.com
