The Omani Visit to Tehran and the Hormuz Puzzle
WANA (Jul 26) – As tensions continue to mount around the Strait of Hormuz, renewed diplomatic engagement between Tehran and Muscat has fueled speculation over the future of one of the world’s most strategically important waterways.
Against the backdrop of heightened military deployments, competing maritime claims, and growing U.S. involvement, a new report outlines what it describes as the key factors behind the Omani delegation’s visit to Tehran, the recent clashes in the strait, and the broader geopolitical calculations shaping the dispute. The report presents the following claims and assessments:
1. Despite its shifting positions on the Strait of Hormuz, Oman reportedly proposed toward the end of the Ramadan War that Iran and Oman jointly hire a prominent European lawyer with strong international connections to pursue their legal claims over the strait and seek recognition of both countries’ rights through international legal institutions.
People ride past an anti-U.S. billboard depicting U.S. President Donald Trump and the Strait of Hormuz, in Tehran, Iran, May 30, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)
2. Oman later backed away from the proposal as regional tensions escalated and U.S. pressure increased. It reportedly showed little interest in establishing a designated shipping route, collecting transit fees, or formalizing a legal framework governing navigation through the strait.
3. The report claims that the recent confrontations in the Strait of Hormuz stemmed from commercial vessels attempting to use the southern route, which falls within Omani waters, instead of the northern route administered by Iran. It says Iran reacted to these movements, leading to the clashes of the past 12 days.
4. According to vessels transiting the area, the northern Iranian route adds roughly 50 miles to their journey, while the shallow depth in some sections increases the risk of ships running aground. The southern Omani route, however, reportedly contains sharp rock formations that hinder navigation in certain areas. The report further claims that the United States has deployed specialized vessels to remove or reduce these obstacles along the Omani route.
People walk past a billboard about the Strait of Hormuz, in Tehran, Iran, May 17, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)
5. The report says the Omani delegation’s return to Tehran is aimed at persuading Iran to accept Washington’s new conditions and concessions, while also seeking to clarify Muscat’s share of authority and interests in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
The large-scale deployment of military logistics and infrastructure to the region—described by some military circles as exceeding the level seen during the Ramadan War—suggests preparations for scenarios other than a negotiated settlement.
At the same time, it contends that the high cost of a potential ground offensive against Iran, the prospect of Iranian retaliation against any country used as a launch point for attacks, the risk of widespread strikes on regional infrastructure, the possibility of continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and Iran’s reported recovery of part of its missile capabilities have all significantly increased the potential cost of a broader conflict for U.S. President Donald Trump.
Iranian military assessments claiming that the Kolang Mountain facility would not suffer significant damage even from GBU-57 bunker-buster bombs, and that the use of a tactical nuclear weapon would primarily cause severe environmental damage rather than destroy the mountain’s core. It concludes by arguing that any military escalation would amount to a high-risk gamble with unpredictable consequences.
Mount Kolang: A Second Fordow or Trump’s Exit Ramp from War?
WANA (Jul 22) – Two days before Donald Trump publicly mentioned Mount Kolang for the first time, the underground site had already become a recurring subject in Western media reports, satellite imagery, and security analyses. The sequence raises an important question: Is Washington preparing public opinion for a military strike, or is it already constructing […]
