Iran continues to signal a hard line, though the agreement with Oman could still move forward, even if there are delays along the way. Initial reports had suggested Wednesday as the target date for announcing the "reopening," with nuclear and uranium talks expected to follow.

However, based on the latest headline, the announcement may now be pushed back.

Under the arrangement with Oman, Iran would formally gain greater control over traffic along the Strait of Hormuz than it had before the conflict began. In practical terms, inbound traffic would use a northern lane in Iranian waters, while outbound traffic would use a southern lane in Omani waters, coordinated with Iran. Because the strait is a critical route for global oil shipping, even procedural changes to how vessels move through it are closely watched by energy markets and governments that rely on steady Gulf flows.

The proposed arrangement would include a 60-day trial period during which no tolls would be charged. Over the next 30 days, Iran would also clear mines from the median lane as part of efforts to move toward a more permanent deal. That, at least, is what has been promised.

As a reminder, the previous ceasefire deal and memorandum of understanding was meant to last 60 days but collapsed in less than three weeks.

That leaves open the possibility that the latest arrangement could meet the same fate, with optimism remaining fragile at best. It is also still unclear what this "reopening" would actually involve. Iran has already said that ship traffic will not return to pre-war levels.

The hope is that, with oil pipelines being used to bypass the strait and shadow fleets still quietly moving crude out, any further "reopening" will help ease pressure on the oil market. Even so, expecting conditions to return to where they were before the conflict started remains unrealistic for now.