Iran said it had restarted talks with neighbor Oman to manage the Strait of Hormuz as it faces heightened economic pressure from US President Donald Trump in the wider conflict.
Separately, the US Secret Service said on Tuesday that it was aware of a video broadcast by Iranian state television discussing a potential plot to assassinate Trump’s youngest son, Barron. An oil tanker was struck on Tuesday by an unidentified projectile and disabled about 9 nautical miles (17 km) northeast of Oman’s Ash Shishah, which lies at the entrance to the strait, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said.
The two countries said on Tuesday that they discussed “a joint temporary navigational corridor” through the strait and agreed to clear it of mines. Trump said all mines in the strait had been cleared, repeating comments that he has previously made. In an effort to hobble Iran’s economy, the United States earlier this week threatened to punish countries that continue to do business with Iran, but said it would not impose penalties immediately. Oil prices fell for a second day as traders brushed off the impact of the U.S. sanctions, while Iran denounced the U.S. effort to isolate its economy as an act of “gross lawlessness”, expressing confidence that many countries would not join the pressure campaign. U.S. public approval of the war has fallen to its lowest level since the conflict’s early days, and Trump’s popularity is likewise at a record low ahead of congressional elections in November, according to Reuters/Ipsos polling.
