Hormuz split: Oman pitches dual corridors to unlock U.S.–Iran stalemate

Oman has proposed a two-route plan for the Strait of Hormuz—free navigation in the southern corridor through Omani waters and a northern corridor through Iranian waters with Tehran's approval but no tolls—to ease the U.S.–Iran stalemate over reopening the strait. While not finalized, the proposal follows talks with Iran and would rely on shipping insurers to deem passage safe; the U.S. would continue to defend an alternate route, and oil markets would stay pressured until a broader deal is reached, which some analysts say could occur within 1–2 months, with the biblical Solomon analogy cited as a bargaining metaphor.