Efforts to restore commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz face renewed obstacles as Iran insists on barring US and Israeli vessels from the waterway.
The proposed agreement, negotiated with Oman, aims to reopen the critical transit route but remains blocked by Tehran's security stipulations, which effectively exclude major Western naval and commercial interests from safe passage.
The stalemate undermines recent optimism that a diplomatic breakthrough could normalize flows through the chokepoint.
Iranian state media has publicly cast doubt on assertions that the strait could be reopened "soon," signaling that the gap between Tehran's demands and the expectations of Western powers remains wide.
This divergence suggests that the shipping disruption risk will persist in the near term, keeping tanker routes exposed and freight rates elevated.
The geopolitical landscape is further complicated by a new security pact signed by Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan.