Safe transit is the diplomatic concept at the center of these negotiations: the guaranteed right of commercial vessels to pass through a contested waterway without being intercepted or stopped by the countries on either side. Iran and Oman say they are approaching an agreement that would establish exactly that through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital economic artery. Iran says the United States is standing in the way.
The deal covers two things. The first is safe transit through the strait. The second is future administration. Administration is the more complex piece. In plain terms, it asks who manages the waterway going forward and who has standing to enforce the rules once an agreement is signed.
Iran's identification of the United States as the obstacle is a pointed diplomatic statement. It turns a bilateral negotiation into a three-party problem, with a third government named as actively blocking a deal. Iran and Oman describe themselves as close to agreement. The talks are continuing.