Iran and Oman near IMO-registered Hormuz corridor as IAEA Board weighs referral
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Iranian MFA spokesman Esmail Baghaei announced that Iran-Oman talks on a temporary safe navigation corridor through the Strait of Hormuz have reached their final stage, with the joint memorandum expected to be registered with the International Maritime Organization "within days." It is the first institutionally anchored de-escalation mechanism on the Hormuz file since the blockade resumed, and it landed the same day the IAEA Board convened on a US draft referring Iran to the Security Council, and Aramco's Jizan refinery was struck again.
What did Tehran actually put on the record?
Baghaei (IRNA, Mehr, ISNA, IRIB) warned of "ill-intentioned third parties" and called the corridor necessary but not sufficient: insecurity ends only when the US blockade ends. Single-source Iranian state, but falsifiable within days via IMO filings.
He confirmed a Qatari delegation met Araghchi Sunday, plus Omani and Pakistani delegations last week, corroborating prior Qatari-channel reporting (cross-bloc). A General Staff technical delegation went to Qatar on three detained Iranian pilots (new, single-source).
On the Islamabad MoU, Baghaei said clause one included halting Israeli aggression against Lebanon, and that Washington violated it "22 or 23 days" after signing; Mehr's caption said 26 days. Unreconciled; treat the figure as soft.
Who else is mediating?
Qatar's Majed al-Ansari told CNN the aim is "gradual" de-escalation: reopening Hormuz, easing economic pressure "including on the people of Iran," preventing missiles hitting Gulf residential areas.
Lavrov proposed Iranian participation in a Gulf collective-security architecture; Ryabkov called the Gulf the most urgent item for the BRICS summit (New Delhi, 12-13 Sept) and conceded some members are "sharply critical" of Iran.
How bad are the flows?
Kpler via Reuters (cross-bloc): merchant transits at a 10-day average of 10 vessels/day, lowest since May; 2 crossed Saturday, 6 Sunday, mostly via the Iranian corridor; no VLCC exit since Wednesday. CENTCOM tally: 94 redirected, 3 disabled, 2 boarded.
OSINT (@MenchOsint): UAE-owned *Titan Harmony* turned around by IRGC Navy despite USAF escort; Qatari LNG *Al Marrouna* used the Iranian corridor.
Hegseth threatened to "destroy and sink" Iranian tankers; Qalibaf called US energy assets "dispersed, accessible and vulnerable." SNSC secretary Rezaei announced a maritime prohibited zone "across the Persian Gulf up to the blockade perimeter" and a "fundamentally revised" posture. Iranian-sourced; missile claim uncorroborated.
Where does the nuclear file stand?
Grossi: no access to declared facilities for roughly a year, unable to verify stocks including 440-plus kg of 60% HEU, a "serious proliferation concern." Bloomberg reports a two-page US draft referral backed by the E3.
Baghaei argued referral contradicts the E3/US claim that snapback already restored the resolutions.
What happened in Yemen and Lebanon?
FT confirmed a fresh strike on Aramco's Jizan (~400k bpd, already offline); fires reported by Al-Mayadeen and Iranian state (cross-bloc). A Saudi strike on Al-Hazm prison reportedly killed a child, with 35 inmates under rubble (Houthi-sourced only).
Lebanon's Health Ministry reported 12 killed at Kfar Roummane; 27 killed, 69 wounded over three days. Two Golani soldiers wounded near Beaufort (IDF-acknowledged).
What to watch next (24-72 hours)
Whether the corridor memorandum is actually filed with the IMO.
The IAEA Board vote and Iran's promised "measures."
Whether Rezaei's prohibited zone is operationalised inside the Gulf.
Jizan damage assessment and Saudi retaliation calculus.
Whether the Gulf enters the BRICS leaders' communiqué.