Gulf diplomats and Iranian officials will meet Monday to discuss an Omani plan for reopening the Strait of Hormuz to regular tanker traffic, but a critical player won’t be at the table: the United States.
Despite shipping traffic remaining depressed, Donald Trump has insisted the state of the waterway is acceptable for now with the US military escorting oil tankers.
But the meeting on Monday underscores that — despite active efforts to develop alternative corridors for passage through the strait — countries in the region are unwilling to accept the status quo as the new normal. After months of private discussions on a complicated possible legal framework to reopen the strait that could allow Iran and Oman to collect fees, diplomats are hopeful the gathering could create some momentum for a deal.
Why would they want the USA at any meeting? They’d only reneg on any deal made that didn’t give them all the oil, and do nothing about Israel breaking every cease-fire just like they’ve been doing until now.