The advance came despite public statements from both Washington and Tehran suggesting negotiations over navigation through the Strait of Hormuz were making progress. "We are ready to go," Trump said, signaling that Washington continues to view military pressure as an option should negotiations collapse. Gharibabadi also emphasized that current discussions over shipping routes were not taking place directly between Washington and Tehran. Instead, he said negotiations concerning navigation through the Strait were being conducted between Iran and Oman. Those proposals reflect Tehran's broader effort to tighten control over one of the world's most important energy transit corridors while balancing negotiations intended to reduce military tensions.