Iran and Oman have agreed to work on a phased plan for managing maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, including a temporary navigation corridor and a joint effort to clear mines from the strategically important waterway.

The agreement followed talks in Tehran on Tuesday between Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi. The discussions focused on restoring controlled shipping through the strait, which has remained effectively closed since the war in Iran began in February.

A joint statement said the two countries had discussed a phased framework that could provide a practical basis for managing maritime traffic.

The initial proposal includes a “joint temporary navigational corridor” through the strait, alongside a mine-clearing operation designed to improve safety for vessels using the route.

Further negotiations are expected to address the creation of a permanent shipping corridor and determine how the Strait of Hormuz would be administered. The talks will also consider systems for sharing information, managing vessel movements and providing navigation and security services.

Albusaidi said he was hopeful that Iran and Oman would soon be able to announce a temporary corridor. He added that the two sides would continue working towards a permanent arrangement and an agreement on responsibility for administering the waterway.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the proposed temporary route for ships entering the Persian Gulf from the Gulf of Oman would run entirely through Iranian waters. Vessels leaving the Gulf would use a route passing through both Iranian and Omani waters.

Gharibabadi said additional negotiations would take place over the next 30 to 60 days.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important maritime trade routes, carrying a significant share of global energy shipments. Any prolonged disruption has raised concerns about fuel supplies, shipping costs and international trade.

The talks come amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington. US President Donald Trump warned Oman last week against obstructing discussions between the United States and Iran over the strait.

Trump also threatened military action against Oman in comments to Fox News as a June agreement between Washington and Tehran expired.

It remains unclear whether the Trump administration will support the arrangement reached between Iran and Oman.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and other senior officials also discussed the future of the strait with a Pakistani delegation that visited Tehran on Tuesday. Pakistan’s military said its delegation had held talks aimed at reviving negotiations to end the conflict in Iran.

The latest Iran-Oman discussions could provide a basis for gradually reopening the waterway, although a permanent system will depend on further negotiations between the countries and wider regional developments.

Indian police used excessive force against youth-led demonstrations over the leak of a national medical entrance examination, including pellet guns, electric shock devices and tear gas, Amnesty International said on Monday.

The rights group said its investigation found evidence that police actions during protests in New Delhi and the eastern state of Bihar violated international standards and domestic policing guidelines.

The demonstrations began over allegations surrounding the leak of the national medical entrance test and grew into a wider protest movement focused on unemployment, opportunities for young people and concerns over the government’s policies.

Tensions escalated in New Delhi on July 20 when thousands of protesters attempted to march towards Parliament. Police said they used force only after demonstrators became violent.

Amnesty said it had reviewed witness accounts and verified visual evidence showing the use of pellet-firing shotguns, tear gas launchers, grenades, batons and electric shock devices against protesters.

The organisation also said it had verified two incidents in Siwan district of Bihar in which police officers allegedly used lethal force against crowds. No deaths were reported in those incidents.

Amnesty said there were isolated cases of protesters throwing stones but argued that the police response went far beyond what was necessary to control crowds.

The findings conflict with the account presented by Delhi Police during a Supreme Court hearing last week. Authorities told the court that officers resorted to force only after protesters had engaged in violence.

Police also alleged that individuals posing as students had attacked security personnel and caused serious injuries.

The Supreme Court has established a panel to investigate violence committed by both police and protesters. The move came as questions continued to grow over how authorities handled the demonstrations.

Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi also raised concerns about police conduct. On Friday, he held a sit-in outside a Delhi police station alongside a 19-year-old protester who said he had been injured by pellets during the July demonstration.

Gandhi called for an investigation into the alleged shooting. Police later registered a case based on the complaint.

The protests were led by the online Cockroach Janta Party and expanded beyond the original dispute over examination irregularities. Demonstrators increasingly focused on limited employment opportunities and broader concerns about governance under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The unrest has emerged as one of the most significant political challenges facing Modi since he secured a third term in office in 2024.

Amnesty called for accountability for any unlawful use of force and urged authorities to ensure that future demonstrations are handled according to national law and international human rights standards.