At the narrow throat of the world's oil supply, diplomacy and violence are unfolding simultaneously. Since February, the Strait of Hormuz — through which a fifth of global oil and gas ordinarily moves — has been effectively closed following US and Israeli military operations against Iran, and Oman now reports that talks toward a joint shipping corridor are nearing their final stages. Yet Tehran's willingness to reopen the waterway remains tethered to a list of demands from Washington, while missiles continue to strike tankers even as negotiators speak of progress. It is a reminder that in geop