No breakthrough on Strait of Hormuz as Trump halts attack on Iran

What the report says

US President Donald Trump said he was halting a threatened attack on Iran after signaling that a deal could be close, but Al Jazeera reported that there was still no clear breakthrough over movement through the Strait of Hormuz. The report said Trump described the possible arrangement as including the reopening of the strait and a halt to Iran’s nuclear threat, while Iranian officials rejected his comments as part of psychological pressure tactics.

According to the article, the dispute centered on who controls passage through the vital waterway. Iran’s IRGC-linked Fars news outlet said vessels were being held in the northern corridor in Iranian waters and could only pass with permission from Iran’s armed forces. Tehran also said the same applied to a southern corridor in Omani waters. The United States has argued ships should be allowed to move through that route, but Iran has maintained its military still sets the terms.

The article also noted wider regional tensions, including warnings of retaliatory strikes if the US attacks Iranian infrastructure, and diplomatic contacts involving Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Qatar, Oman and Turkiye. It said the area was relatively calmer on Sunday, with no major new strikes reported, even as fears of escalation remained.

For context, the Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important oil shipping routes, so any disruption can affect energy markets and regional security.