Hormuz talks postponed as oil spikes and dual chokepoints face fresh attacks

Middle East diplomacy stumbled heading into Monday after Oman postponed a planned meeting between Iran and Gulf Arab states on Strait of Hormuz shipping. Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said the talks were delayed "in the interests of consensus." The move came as fresh strikes hit vessels in the strait and Saudi Arabia kept its damaged East-West oil pipeline shut after Friday drone attacks. Oil jumped as Asian markets reopened, with Brent climbing about 3% back above $107 a barrel. Saudi buyers told Reuters that stocks at the Red Sea port of Yanbu may support exports for only five to seven days if the pipeline stays offline, putting up to 4% of global supply at risk on top of Hormuz disruption. Iran's foreign minister said Tehran would not reopen the strait until U.S. demands are met, while Iran-aligned Houthis — after seizing Perim Island at Bab el-Mandeb — claimed further strikes on Saudi targets. Source: Reuters Can Gulf and Western powers stabilize the world's two key oil chokepoints while talks keep slipping? https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/diplomacy-stumbles-with-postponement-meeting-strait-hormuz-proposal-2026-09-13/