Hormuz Deal Collapses at Salalah as Iran Tightens Oil Grip — SkimNews
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- Iran, Oman, and Gulf state officials were scheduled to meet in Salalah on Monday to unveil a deal managing the Strait of Hormuz, but Oman's foreign minister announced a postponement, derailing the plans before talks could start.
- Securing Gulf buy-in was Tehran's pathway to resuming negotiations with Washington, directly addressing a core goal of the June memorandum of understanding on resolving the strait closure.
- The Trump administration is actively undermining Iran's hold over the strait, while Tehran's leadership appears united in viewing maritime leverage as the best path forward despite US pressure.
- The Houthis, Iran's partners in Yemen, captured additional Red Sea territory in the past week, strengthening their ability to threaten Saudi shipping through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
- Pro-Iran militias in Iraq launched attacks on Saudi energy facilities, compounding market volatility on top of the Red Sea and Hormuz threats.
- US efforts to protect Strait of Hormuz shipping have yet to translate into easing oil prices, according to the source, leaving global energy markets exposed.
Why it matters: The collapse of the Salalah meeting shows Gulf states couldn't forge a common position even before sitting down, while Iran simultaneously demonstrated multi-axis leverage — Houthi Red Sea gains, Iraqi militia strikes on Saudi facilities, and Hormuz threats — meaning Tehran's pressure campaign is expanding on every maritime front and oil markets remain exposed to continued disruption with no diplomatic off-ramp in sight.
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