Tehran and Muscat delay talks, citing regional consensus need

Iran and Oman have put a planned round of talks with Gulf Arab states on hold after some countries in the region asked for a delay, according to Iranian state media. Fars news agency cited the director general of Iran’s foreign ministry Gulf affairs office in saying the postponement was a mutual decision by Tehran and Muscat. Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said on X that the meeting, scheduled for Monday, was deferred “in the interests of consensus.” The pause came hours after Iranian outlets reported an attack near Qeshm Island that killed one person and injured four. The governor of Qeshm attributed the incident to a “terrorist enemy.” Separately, the UK Maritime Trade Operations said a vessel had been hit by a projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, triggering a severe fire and evacuations; it was not immediately clear if this referred to the same incident. Oman has been central to mediation efforts, drawing on its long-standing ties with Tehran and its direct stake in Strait of Hormuz navigation — the strait’s southern shore lies within Omani territory. In July Muscat floated a plan for a joint regional mechanism to share control of the waterway 50-50 and to collect voluntary contributions from transiting ships to support navigation, environmental protection and search-and-rescue operations. Iran has rejected the voluntary-fee element, saying any payments should be mandatory. Disputes over recommended shipping routes and attacks on vessels have been key stumbling blocks. Tehran has advocated for ships to transit closer to its coast, and has targeted vessels operating nearer the strait’s southern shore, while officials say broader negotiations have yet to yield a breakthrough. The issue carries wider significance because, before the outbreak of the conflict referenced in reporting, roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and LNG passed through the strait. The diplomatic row is unfolding alongside sharp public rhetoric. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iranians “can’t be bullied into submission” and would not surrender, while former US President Donald Trump has pushed to restore shipping to pre-war levels to lower energy prices ahead of US midterm elections and said Iran was seeking a deal. The postponement signals regional leaders are prioritising a unified position before resuming formal talks.