Oman and Iran are negotiating to try to restart the Strait of Hormuz! Trump's latest statement: "There is a good chance of reaching an agreement."

The long holiday is basically down to one day—keep an eye on the latest developments in the Middle East war!

Oman and Iran hold talks, trying to restart the Strait of Hormuz

Regarding the “last-ditch” negotiations between Oman and Iran to restart the Strait of Hormuz, more details are now coming to light.

After the U.S. and Israel carried out airstrikes, this key global shipping route has effectively been “factually shut down” by Iran, and the strait itself lies within the territorial waters of Oman and Iran.

According to reports, an official from the Oman side said the relevant talks have been going on for about two weeks. The core objective is to formulate a “safe passage agreement” to restore commercial vessels’ ability to transit.

Under the proposed plan, all oil and gas transport ships passing through this narrow waterway must register with Iran and agree to fly the flag of a “non-belligerent country.” In practice, this amounts to acknowledging Iran’s right to control this strategic waterway.

These proposals are viewed as Oman’s “last stand” in an attempt to prevent the conflict from escalating further. Oman has previously served as a mediator multiple times between Washington and Tehran.

However, an Oman source also candidly admitted that, in a state of war, reaching such an agreement is “extremely difficult.” He emphasized: “The most ideal solution is still an immediate ceasefire—this is the first step toward fully ending hostilities.”

Meanwhile, the source said the statements worrying him include Trump setting a new 48-hour deadline and threatening to increase strikes against Iran. “Once the situation escalates, it could bring unimaginable pain to multiple regions around the world.”

Trump’s latest remarks

“There’s a good chance of reaching an agreement”

In an interview, U.S. President Trump again put pressure on Iran, reiterating the “Monday final deadline”: either reach an agreement and open the Strait of Hormuz, or face strikes on key infrastructure such as power grids.

Trump said that Iran officials participating in the talks have been offered “limited amnesty.” If an agreement cannot be reached, the U.S. would “take over Iran’s oil”—an option Trump had mentioned earlier.

In addition, Trump said Iran has tried to delay the negotiations, which is one of the reasons for the U.S. strikes last week on a key bridge on the outskirts of Tehran.

Even so, Trump still claimed there is a “good chance” of reaching an agreement before the deadline, but so far Iran’s official side has not released any signal indicating it is close to reaching one. Trump said on April 5 that if Iran does not quickly reach an agreement with the U.S., he will order to “blow up everything” and “take over the oil.”

Previously, Trump extended the original deadline by 10 days, setting the final deadline for April 6. He demanded that Iran reach an agreement, or else face threats of strikes on key infrastructure.

Earlier on Sunday, Trump went even further, saying: “Tuesday will be the ‘power plant day’ and the ‘bridge day,’ and Iran will stage everything at once. This will be an unprecedented scene!!!” He also said: “Open that damn strait, or you’ll be living in hell—just wait and see!”

Some Italian airports report a shortage of aviation fuel

Several Italian airports have warned that, in the coming days, they may face tight supplies of jet fuel.

According to official notices, the airports in Bologna, Treviso, and Venice have imposed partial restrictions on aviation fuel, and the measures will last until Thursday. Milan’s Linate Airport also warned that supplies may be constrained. The notice states that the airports receive fuel supply from a subsidiary under BP (British Petroleum). However, fuel supply is currently limited, so at this stage priority will be given to medical flights and flights with durations longer than three hours.

An important reason for this situation is that after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, fuel transportation has been disrupted, while fuel prices have surged significantly. Based on data from Goldman Sachs, about 40% of Europe’s seaborne aviation fuel imports come from the Gulf region.

（Source: China Fund News）