High-stakes diplomatic talks intended to address the Strait of Hormuz, scheduled for Monday in Salalah, have been postponed indefinitely. Oman's Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi announced the cancellation late Sunday, citing a lack of consensus, as Bahrain refused to participate in the gathering. Following the announcement, Brent crude prices surged by 3.5 percent to exceed $108 a barrel, before stabilizing near $107.80.
- Diplomatic talks in Salalah postponed indefinitely due to no consensus.
- Brent crude prices surge past $108 a barrel.
- Military activity intensifies across the region with airstrikes and attacks.
Diplomatic Talks Postponed
The meeting was intended to include foreign ministers from the six Gulf Cooperation Council states—Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Bahrain—along with Iraq and Iran. Bahrain, currently holding the rotating GCC presidency and serving as home to the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, opted out due to ongoing regional hostilities. Meanwhile, UAE Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed Al Nahyan met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in India, though Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed subsequently called for a unified Gulf stance. The proposed Omani plan for the Strait was conditioned by Iran on the lifting of U.S. blockades on Iranian ports and the restoration of oil-sales waivers, terms the White House has declined, seeking instead a broader agreement involving the nuclear file.
Simultaneously, military activity has intensified. Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree reported 50 to 58 Saudi F-15 airstrikes across Taiz, Lahj, al-Jawf, Hajjah, al-Bayda, and Saada within a 24-hour period. These strikes followed Houthi missile and drone attacks on southern Saudi cities, the seizure of Mokha port and Perim Island, and a drone attack from Iraq that forced the closure of the East-West pipeline. Traders informed Reuters that Riyadh may possess only five to seven days of oil reserves at Yanbu if the pipeline remains offline. In the Strait of Hormuz, a projectile strike on a vessel resulted in one death and several injuries on an Iranian commercial ship off Qeshm, according to Iranian reports. The UK Maritime Trade Operations also reported a separate fire on a vessel that necessitated an evacuation. The regional conflict continues to affect maritime traffic through both the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz.
