Pakistan said on Tuesday that the United States and Iran were close to reaching “some sort of an arrangement”, raising hopes that the two sides could move towards a peace deal. Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson also said that separate talks between Oman and Iran on managing the Strait of Hormuz were at an advanced stage. The developments are important for global shipping because the Strait of Hormuz has remained effectively blocked during the conflict. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Sunday that Iran and the United States were not holding direct talks. The United States first announced the blockade in April and reimposed it in July after a June peace accord collapsed.