Iran said that it had finalised an agreement with Oman on a new shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz, marking the clearest sign yet that months of diplomatic efforts to reopen the critical waterway are nearing a breakthrough.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry said the geographical coordinates for the new route had been agreed upon by both sides, with a joint statement covering the main terms of the arrangement now in its final stages of drafting — provided, officials noted, that “certain third parties” do not obstruct the process, in an apparent reference to the United States.

Under the proposed arrangement, vessels would enter the Persian Gulf through Iranian-controlled waters and exit through a route controlled by Oman. According to regional officials, Iran would initially send its own ships, including oil tankers, through the passage to ensure it is clear of mines before opening it to wider international shipping traffic.

The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly a fifth of the world’s traded oil and gas normally passes, has remained a flashpoint since the outbreak of the Iran war earlier this year, driving up global fuel prices and disrupting commercial shipping.

US President Donald Trump said this week that an announcement on the strait could come “tomorrow or the next day,” as Washington faces mounting pressure to bring the conflict to a close ahead of the US congressional elections. Officials say the emerging deal could also pave the way for the resumption of US-Iran talks on Tehran’s nuclear programme.