Gulf States and Iran to Meet in Oman to Negotiate Temporary Strait of Hormuz Shipping Deal

On Friday, September 11, 2026, reports emerged that foreign ministers from the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will meet with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Salalah, Oman, on Monday.[1]

The Omani-brokered initiative seeks to secure regional buy-in for a temporary arrangement to manage commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Under the proposed framework, which Tehran and Muscat have been finalizing for over two weeks, commercial vessels would enter the critical waterway through Iranian territorial waters and exit primarily through Omani territory.[1][5]

The diplomatic gathering marks the first direct meeting between the GCC's top diplomats and a senior Iranian official since the United States and Israel launched their military campaign against Iran earlier this year. The conflict has severely disrupted maritime traffic, with the US maintaining a naval blockade of Iranian ports and Tehran responding by targeting commercial and military vessels.[1][5]

The Strait of Hormuz remains the world's most vital oil transit chokepoint, separating the Arabian Peninsula from Iran. The strait is approximately 104 miles long, with a width varying from 60 miles to just 21 nautical miles at its narrowest point.[4]

The economic stakes of the closure are staggering. Before the conflict, an average of 20 million barrels per day of crude oil transited the strait. The waterway historically handles roughly 25 percent of the world's seaborne oil trade and 20 percent of global liquefied natural gas exports, primarily from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.[4][5]

The ongoing disruptions have compounded the logistical crisis triggered by the broader regional war, leading to a massive drop in traffic through the strait. This collapse in transit has forced global shipping companies to navigate a gauntlet of maritime blockades and retaliatory strikes, creating severe disruptions in the global oil supply.[4][5]

For Tehran, the push for a temporary shipping arrangement comes amid crushing domestic economic pressure. While the Iranian state apparatus continues to assert military leverage in the waterway, the economic toll of the blockade is forcing diplomats to seek functional off-ramps.[5]

Oman, which shares control of the Strait of Hormuz with Iran and has historically served as a neutral mediator in the region, initiated the Salalah meeting to prevent a total collapse of commercial transit.[1][4]

The diplomatic maneuvering extends beyond the Gulf. On Friday, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun held a telephone call with Araghchi at Tehran's request to discuss the security of the waterway.[2]

The South Korean involvement highlights the global stakes of the Hormuz closure. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly pressured Seoul to contribute military assets to secure the strait. South Korea has weighed the request carefully after Tehran warned earlier this week that any South Korean military deployment would carry "serious consequences."[2]

Meanwhile, the broader regional security architecture remains volatile. The Trump administration recently declined a request from the Saudi crown prince for direct US military strikes against Houthi forces in Yemen, indicating that Washington intends to carefully manage its direct military engagements in the region.[3]

As the GCC ministers prepare to convene in Salalah, the immediate question is whether a localized transit agreement can survive the broader structural conflict. Without a cessation of the US naval blockade, the Omani-Iranian framework may secure regional endorsement but fail to restore the daily flow of crude oil to global markets.[1][5]