Muscat, Oman — Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in the Omani capital on Saturday for urgent talks over the strategic Strait of Hormuz, as tensions between Tehran and Washington continue to simmer following days of military strikes and fresh threats from US President Donald Trump.
Araghchi’s visit, confirmed by Iranian state media, comes as international interlocutors scramble to revive faltering diplomatic efforts amid fears of a wider regional conflict. The top diplomat was received by Omani officials in Muscat, where he is expected to hold discussions with his Omani counterpart on “establishing appropriate mechanisms to ensure the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz,” according to Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei.
The meeting is “part of ongoing bilateral consultations between Iran and Oman on regional developments, particularly the issue of the Strait of Hormuz,” Baghaei said in a statement.
US demands public assurance
The diplomatic push comes as senior US officials said Washington expects Tehran to issue a public statement in the coming days declaring the strait open and guaranteeing that commercial vessels will not be attacked.
Without such assurances, a senior US official warned that nuclear negotiations cannot proceed.
“If we don’t get the dust, we do not have a deal with Iran,” the official said on Friday, referring to Tehran’s enriched uranium stockpile, insisting that any final deal must include the US obtaining Iran’s nuclear material.
The Strait of Hormuz, a vital chokepoint through which roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies pass, has emerged as the central obstacle to a ceasefire. Iran has continued to assert control over parts of the waterway and fired on ships earlier this week, prompting US military strikes on Iranian targets in retaliation.
While US officials have insisted Iran cannot control the strait, the Memorandum of Understanding signed last month remains ambiguous, calling for Iran to “make arrangements for the safe passage of commercial vessels” and engage with Oman “to define the future administration” of the waterway.
Trump threatens ‘complete decimation’
President Trump has escalated his rhetoric, warning Iran with “1000 Missiles… Locked and Loaded” if its leadership attempts to assassinate him.
“1000 Missiles are Locked and Loaded and aimed at the Islamic Republic of Iran, with thousands of more to immediately follow, should the Iranian Government act on its threat… to assassinate, or attempt to assassinate, the sitting President of the United States of America, in this case, ME!” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Friday.
He added that the US military is “ready, willing, and able, for a one year period of time, subject to extension, to completely decimate and destroy all areas of Iran.”
The threats come after Israel’s intelligence reportedly shared information with the Trump administration about Iranian threats to assassinate the president. However, two US sources familiar with the matter said recent intelligence assessments show no indication of a new, specific Iranian plot, but rather a “steady drumbeat of chatter” about various Iranian actors wanting to do so.
Iran accuses US of violations
Iran’s top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, has struck a defiant tone, saying Tehran remains “distrustful of the Americans” and is prepared for “all-out defense” if the US breaks the agreement.
“During the negotiations, I made it clear to the US vice president that we have no trust in you,” Ghalibaf said on Friday.
Araghchi also accused the United States of violating a clause in their MoU on Tehran’s nuclear program, writing on X: “Iran has so far kept its word, unlike the so-called U.S. Treasury Secretary who is violating Para 9 of the MoU.”
That clause states that pending a final deal, Iran will “maintain the current status quo of its nuclear program” and that the US will “not impose any new sanctions and will not deploy additional forces in the region.”
Despite the violations, the Trump administration on Friday imposed fresh sanctions on Tehran following the Iranian attacks on commercial ships in the strait.
Traffic remains muted
Shipping data from MarineTraffic shows at least 15 commercial vessels transited the strait in the past 24 hours, but traffic remains significantly reduced compared to normal levels as operators exercise caution.
Meanwhile, regional powers have been working to de-escalate tensions. Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke with President Trump by phone, with the two leaders “reviewing cooperation between the Kingdom and the United States and ways to strengthen it in several areas,” according to a readout.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also spoke with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan about “the importance of close coordination to promote regional security and stability,” the State Department said.
Funeral fervor and anger on the streets
The diplomatic maneuvering unfolds against a backdrop of deep emotion in Iran, where the country has just buried its longest-serving supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, who ruled for nearly four decades.
Mourners at funeral events in Tehran expressed widespread anger at America and Trump, with dozens approaching journalists with promises of revenge for the assassination of their leader.
However, not all sentiments were uniform. Scrawled in chalk on walls segregating men and women at the Mosalla mosque complex were slogans reading “no negotiation with Satan” and “curse be upon he who negotiates.”
A video circulating on social media purportedly shows a rock being thrown at Foreign Minister Araghchi as he walked through Tehran’s streets. CNN has not been able to independently verify the footage.