Pakistan, Aug. 6 -- US President Donald Trump sounded hopeful when he referred to "all-day negotiation" on Tuesday, producing "a lot of progress" and bringing the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz within reach. While Tehran has not confirmed direct negotiations with Washington, it has announced something more concrete: Iran and Oman have reached an understanding on the geographical coordinates of a proposed shipping route through the strait.

The arrangement under discussion could allow Iran to oversee vessels entering the Gulf through an Iranian-administered route, while Oman would supervise outbound traffic. Tehran is seeking fees tied to cargo value while Washington seems to be holding ground on its position that there should be none. ...