President Donald Trump has threatened major attacks on Iran, but a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz may be in the works. Iranian leaders and US officials are cautiously optimistic about the possibility of a deal between Iran and Oman to manage the critical chokepoint.
Reopening the strait was one of the original objectives of the memorandum of understanding reached between Washington and Tehran in June. If successful, it could bring the two sides back to negotiations that collapsed in July.
However, issues such as a regional ceasefire, economic relief for Iran, and Iran's nuclear program still need to be addressed. Meanwhile, Russia is facing signs of war coming home, with Ukrainian drone attacks and long-range strikes affecting Russian oil-refining capabilities.
