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A cargo ship navigating the Bosphorus strait in Istanbul, surrounded by seagulls.
Hormuz diplomacy stalls as regional meeting is postponed
ADEN/DUBAI — September 14, 2026
Diplomatic efforts to ease tensions around the Strait of Hormuz faced a setback after Oman postponed a planned meeting between Iran and Gulf Arab states, while attacks near major oil shipping routes added to concerns about global energy supplies.
Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi said late Sunday that the meeting, which had been scheduled for Monday, was postponed in the interest of reaching consensus. Iranian officials said Tehran and Muscat had jointly agreed to delay the talks after some regional countries requested a postponement.
Iran had planned to attend the meeting with Gulf states and present an agreement reached with Oman on arrangements for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. An Iranian Foreign Ministry official, cited by state media, said Tehran would work with Muscat to set a new date.
The diplomatic setback came as the region faced fresh disruptions to oil transport. Saudi Arabia kept a major 1,200-kilometre pipeline closed over the weekend after it was damaged in drone strikes on Friday. The pipeline provides an alternative route for Saudi oil exports that avoids the Strait of Hormuz.
Saudi oil buyers and traders estimated that oil stored at the Red Sea port of Yanbu could support exports for only five to seven days if the pipeline remains out of service. Saudi authorities have not said how severely the pipeline was damaged or how long repairs will take, while estimates from people familiar with the situation have ranged from several days to several weeks.
The Strait of Hormuz also remained a security risk. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency said a vessel was hit by a projectile while travelling through the strait, causing a fire and forcing its crew to evacuate. Iran separately said one person was killed and four crew members were wounded when an Iranian commercial vessel was struck off its coast.
The disruptions pushed oil prices above $100 a barrel last week, while U.S. diesel prices climbed above $6.20 a gallon. If the Saudi pipeline remains closed, traders warn that as much as 4% of global oil supply could eventually be affected, adding to the supply already disrupted by reduced traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Tehran would not reopen the strait even if it reached an agreement with Oman unless the United States met Iran's demands. His comments indicated that any regional agreement alone may not be enough to restore normal shipping through the waterway.
U.S. President Donald Trump has continued to say he expects the conflict with Iran to end this year. During a weekend visit to Ireland, he said an agreement could come after the U.S. midterm elections in November and predicted that gasoline prices would fall sharply once the conflict ends.
Meanwhile, violence involving Yemen's Houthi movement has added another threat to shipping and regional security. Saudi state media showed damage to homes and a mosque in Jazan province following what it described as a cross-border attack by the Iran-aligned group.
The Houthis also claimed to have attacked a Saudi military base in a nearby province after taking control of Perim Island near the Bab el-Mandeb, the strategic waterway connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. Their advance along Yemen's Red Sea coast marks a major escalation in fighting that could further threaten commercial shipping.
The developments present a difficult choice for the United States and Gulf governments. Washington wants to protect shipping and support Saudi Arabia while avoiding a wider military commitment, while Gulf states face growing economic pressure from disruptions to trade and energy routes.
Three sources said Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke with Trump on Thursday and requested U.S. military assistance against the Houthis. The sources said Washington offered intelligence support for now rather than direct military assistance.
Trump confirmed that he had spoken with the crown prince and said the Houthis had also contacted the U.S. administration, asking Washington not to become involved in the Yemen conflict.
With the Hormuz meeting postponed and attacks continuing around both the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb, efforts to protect regional shipping remain closely tied to wider negotiations between Iran, the United States and Gulf countries. The timing of the next regional meeting and the future of oil flows remain uncertain.
