Oman's Foreign Ministry has announced the postponement of a regional meeting originally scheduled for Monday in Salalah, which was set to involve Iran and Gulf states, with no new date confirmed yet. The gathering was intended to address temporary shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, though Omani officials have only cited the need to foster consensus and constructive dialogue as the reason for the delay, without elaborating further.

Oman has yet to reveal a timeline for rescheduling the talks. Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi stated the regional meeting was pushed back to allow for consensus-building. The ministry added that all parties remain committed to pursuing dialogue that bolsters regional security, stability, and long-term cooperation. An Iranian foreign ministry official indicated the deferral was a joint decision by Tehran and Muscat, made in response to requests from certain regional states. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei later claimed Saudi Arabia had asked for the postponement, linking the move to developments in Yemen. Riyadh has not publicly confirmed this assertion. The Associated Press, citing a Gulf-based official, reported that Saudi Arabia has proposed amendments to the plan drafted by Iran and Oman, expressing concerns that the agreement could create long-term arrangements impacting other Gulf Cooperation Council members.

Divergences have surfaced over the interim shipping arrangement. The meeting was originally designed to include Iran, Iraq, and GCC members, though Bahrain had already indicated it would not attend. Participants were expected to deliberate on temporary commercial transit routes proposed by Iran and Oman, while also reviewing navigational charts and operational protocols. According to details revealed in media reports, the inbound route for commercial vessels would pass through Iranian waters, while the outbound route would primarily lie in Omani waters, though certain segments would still traverse Iranian-controlled areas. The prospective agreement might also introduce voluntary transit fees to fund navigational safety, environmental protection, and search-and-rescue operations. This framework is meant as a temporary passage measure and does not signify a full restoration of shipping through the Strait. Iran has separately attached additional conditions to further negotiations, including the lifting of US maritime blockades on its oil ports and the unfreezing of some overseas assets. Iran's foreign ministry has affirmed that consultations with Oman will continue, with decisions pending on how to publicize or formally register any arrangements reached. No specific date has been set by any party for reconvening the regional meeting.

The postponement comes amid escalating clashes between Yemen's Houthi forces and Saudi-backed government troops. The Houthis have recently advanced along Yemen's western coast and claimed missile and drone strikes on military targets in southern Saudi Arabia. A key east-west oil pipeline connecting Saudi fields to the Red Sea port of Yanbu has also been shut down following a drone attack. While no party has jointly confirmed that the Yemen situation directly caused the delay, the conflict has heightened Gulf concerns over the safety of regional shipping and energy infrastructure. The proposed interim route already involves complex issues of waterway control, transit regulations, and long-term legal implications, all of which have raised the bar for reaching a consensus among the parties. According to The Guardian, international oil prices briefly surpassed $108 per barrel on Monday amid the postponed Hormuz talks, the Saudi pipeline outage, and rising security risks in the Red Sea. Data from the International Energy Agency indicates that roughly 20 million barrels of oil and refined products normally pass through the Strait of Hormuz daily, accounting for around one-quarter of global seaborne oil trade. In 2025, liquefied natural gas moving through the strait represented about 19% of worldwide trade. Regional pipeline capacity capable of bypassing the strait is estimated at 3.5 to 5.5 million barrels per day, which remains far from sufficient to replace the maritime route entirely.