A woman passes by a mural of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Valiasr Square, central Tehran, on August 8, 2026. — AFP
– Tehran calls for an end to aggressive actions against Iran and its allies.
– Talks with Oman over the Strait of Hormuz are nearing completion, according to Foreign Minister Araghchi.
– Oman condemns repeated attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran has laid out conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, including compensation for wartime damages, complicating efforts to restore traffic through this vital waterway. Since late February, Tehran has effectively blockaded the strait following strikes by the US and Israel, demanding tolls for passage and attacking vessels it claims are trying to bypass its preferred route.
Persistent incidents in the strait, which was previously open to transit, led to a ceasefire collapse in April. Mediators have since encouraged both sides to adhere to previous agreements from June. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that negotiations with Oman on managing the strait are close to concluding but emphasized that reopening hinges on other conditions and reparations for breaches of the June deal.
Security Chief Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr outlined demands for reopening, including an end to hostilities against Iran and its allies across Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, and Iraq. He also called for the lifting of the US naval blockade, removal of sanctions, release of frozen assets, and compensation for damages incurred during wartime, as reported by Tasnim news agency.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards asserted that the reopening “has nothing to do with negotiations with Oman,” asserting that “the enemy is forced to accept Iran’s conditions for opening the strait.”
Transit through Hormuz has significantly decreased as Iran targets vessels accused of skirting its preferred route within Iranian waters.
The UAE’s foreign ministry condemned what it described as a “hostile Iranian attack” on an Abu Dhabi National Oil Company tanker with a missile during its transit through the Strait of Hormuz, which resulted in no casualties. Later, the UK Maritime Trade Operations reported a vessel was hit by a projectile off Oman in the same region—causing a fire that was extinguished without injuries. It’s uncertain if this incident involved the same ship.
Since the outbreak of the conflict, 15 vessels owned by Adnoc have been attacked in Hormuz, including three just this week. Oman denounced the repeated assaults on vessels in the strait without explicitly naming Iran. The Omani foreign ministry also stated that ongoing negotiations regarding navigation in Hormuz are progressing positively and urged all parties to avoid actions that could derail progress.
An earlier Iran-US agreement, intended as a foundation for persistent negotiations, stipulated that Iran and Oman would negotiate future arrangements for the strait collaboratively with other Gulf nations, in accordance with international laws that generally prohibit tolls in such waterways.
In regional security developments, Turkey’s foreign minister expressed anticipation that Egypt would join a trilateral defense pact with Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan aimed at regional stability, calling Egypt a “natural partner on all issues.”
Last month, a drone struck U.S. assets at an Egyptian port on the Mediterranean—the first drone attack on Egyptian territory since the Iran conflict began.
Fidan clarified that the regional agreement isn’t aimed at any specific country, stating, “There is no written common threat.” He added, “We act as if we are already members of this alliance.”