US-Israel-Iran War Live News: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Omani counterpart, Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, held a high-stakes telephone conversation on Saturday evening, September 12, 2026, to consult on critical regional developments and bilateral issues. The call took place while Araghchi was in New Delhi, India, attending the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit alongside Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
US-Israel-Iran War Live News: Key Highlights of the Discussion
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Strait of Hormuz Management: A central focus of their talks is a pending Tehran–Muscat deal to jointly manage shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz waterway. Both nations assert a “natural right” as bordering countries to coordinate decisions regarding its administration in accordance with international law.
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Upcoming Regional Meeting: The phone call serves as a prelude to a ministerial-level meeting scheduled for this week in Oman. The summit will bring together Iran, Iraq, and other Persian Gulf littoral states to address escalating regional crises and ensure maritime security.
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Backchannel Diplomacy: The dialogue builds on ongoing Omani-mediated, indirect negotiations between Iran and the United States. Recent high-stakes technical rounds involving U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff have been held in Muscat to explore de-escalation, nuclear concerns, and the lifting of sanctions.
US-Israel-Iran War Live News: A New Waterway System
The primary catalyst for the call is a finalized bilateral draft between Tehran and Muscat to manage shipping lanes.
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The “Malacca Model”: Oman has presented a Gulf-backed proposal modeled after the Strait of Malacca system. Instead of Iran enforcing strict, mandatory tolls on vessels, the framework suggests voluntary contributions and fees pooled among regional nations to cover maritime safety, navigation upkeep, and mine-clearing operations.
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Traffic Structure: According to draft leaks reported by the Financial Times, the newly proposed route creates a divided flow: commercial vessels would enter the Gulf via designated Iranian territorial waters and exit primarily through Omani waters. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) maintains that the transit passage will remain under tight coordination.
US-Israel-Iran War Live News: Upcoming Monday Summit in Muscat
The call confirmed final logistics for a major ministerial-level gathering hosted by Oman.
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Who is Attending: The summit brings together the foreign ministers of eight littoral states: Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman.
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Varying Diplomatic Tensions: While Saudi Arabia strongly welcomed the joint initiative, other neighbors remain cautious. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) only confirmed its participation at the last minute and downgraded its attendance, sending a Minister of State rather than its chief foreign minister.
US-Israel-Iran War Live News: U.S. Factor; Open, but Not Unlocked
Despite the progress on a regional navigation framework, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian clarified that the deal does not automatically reopen the Strait of Hormuz to the global economy.
Iran disrupted the strategic energy corridor following direct U.S. and Israeli military strikes earlier this year, driving oil prices past $100 a barrel.
Tehran explicitly states that the new corridor will only go into effect—and normal shipping will only resume—if the United States ends its naval blockade and rolls back its active military interventions in the region.
US-Israel-Iran War Live News: Diplomatic Negotiations Between Iran and Oman
Bilateral diplomatic negotiations between Iran and Oman have reached a critical milestone, resulting in a finalized understanding on a new, structured framework for commercial shipping routes through the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Despite intensive technical and diplomatic efforts, the arrangement addresses a temporary route system but leaves substantial geopolitical and economic hurdles unresolved.
US-Israel-Iran War Live News: Transit Fee Sticking Point
While the routing has been mapped out, a major economic dispute persists regarding the maintenance and funding of the shipping lane.
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Iran’s Position: Tehran is pushing to impose mandatory transit fees on commercial ships utilizing the corridor to cover operational expenses and exercise sovereignty.
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Oman’s Counter-Proposal: Supported by other Arab Gulf states, Oman has rejected mandatory tolls. Instead, Muscat has proposed a voluntary contribution model—similar to the Strait of Malacca system managed by Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia—where regional nations pool funds for maritime safety, navigation upkeep, and mine-clearing projects.
US-Israel-Iran War Live News: Broadening to a Regional Summit
To build on these bilateral talks, Oman has initiated a ministerial-level meeting in Salalah, Oman. Top diplomats from Iran, Iraq, and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states will gather to review the technical details of the Iran-Oman route and discuss collective regional security. However, full regional consensus remains fractured; for instance, Bahrain officially announced it would boycott the meeting until formal diplomatic ties with Iran are fully restored.
