The comments offered fresh hope of a diplomatic breakthrough after months of conflict and a stalemate that has severely disrupted the strategic waterway, through which a significant share of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies normally pass.
Speaking to Bloomberg News, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said the situation was again moving towards a possible peace arrangement.
“The signals in the last two three days are that we are close to some sort of an arrangement,” Asif said.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi also met Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in Tehran on Tuesday, according to Araqchi’s Telegram channel, although no details of their meeting were disclosed.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said earlier that separate discussions between Oman and Iran over arrangements for the Strait of Hormuz were at an advanced stage.
Pakistan and Qatar have emerged as key mediators in efforts to resolve the conflict between Washington and Tehran.
The latest developments came after Iran said on Sunday that it was nearing a final agreement with Oman on new shipping arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran, however, said the waterway would not fully reopen unless Washington met its conditions, including compensation, an end to sanctions and an end to military threats.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has said Tehran and Washington are not holding direct talks, but messages are being exchanged through intermediaries.
US President Donald Trump appeared to harden his position on Monday, saying Washington was seeking compensation from Iran for damage caused during the conflict.
Meanwhile, hopes of a diplomatic breakthrough were accompanied by fresh concerns over maritime security.
Four crew members were reportedly killed in a suspected Houthi attack on a cargo vessel in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, according to Yemen’s Transport Ministry. The Houthis have not claimed responsibility for the attack.
Separately, a container ship was reportedly struck by a missile while sailing through the Gulf of Oman off Pakistan in what sources described as a suspected US attack.
The developments have highlighted the growing risks to commercial shipping in the region as the conflict continues to affect major maritime routes.
Oil prices eased on Tuesday after earlier reaching a one-week high amid renewed hopes of a US-Iran agreement, although prices remain significantly higher than before the conflict.
The Strait of Hormuz remains central to the crisis, with disruptions to the waterway posing a major threat to global energy supplies and international trade.
