Iran Says Talks With Oman on Strait of Hormuz Management Near Final Stage
Tehran:Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has announced that negotiations between Iran and Oman over the future management of the Strait of Hormuz have entered their final stage.
According to Press TV, Araghchi made the remarks during the opening session of a cabinet meeting, stating that months of discussions between Tehran and Muscat are nearing completion as both sides work to finalize a framework for regulating future maritime navigation through the strategically important waterway.
Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping following the February 28 attacks, which Tehran attributes to the United States and Israel. Iranian officials maintain that any future movement through the strait must take place under arrangements agreed upon by Iran.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said the Strait of Hormuz would not return to the situation that existed before the conflict began in February. Referring to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, he said Clause 5 provides that future arrangements for the waterway should be developed through consultations between Iran, Oman, and other regional countries.
Baghaei added that the future shipping corridor would differ from both the current northern and southern routes, with a new route to be established by mutual agreement.
He also revealed that Iran had received several phone calls over the past 24 hours from the United Kingdom, Bulgaria, and Ukraine, with the countries reportedly stating that they would not become involved in any conflict against Iran.
According to Baghaei, Tehran and Muscat began negotiations the day after the ceasefire on April 8, and several rounds of talks have since taken place. He noted that Araghchi’s first foreign visit after the conflict was to Oman, where he discussed the Strait of Hormuz with the Omani Sultan and the country’s foreign minister.
The spokesperson emphasized that Iran and Oman, as the two coastal states bordering the Strait of Hormuz, are committed to ensuring safe maritime navigation and establishing a clear operational framework. He added that Iran must ensure the waterway is not used by parties that have acted aggressively against the country, while fully safeguarding Iran’s sovereign rights.
Baghaei stressed that the negotiations with Oman are strictly bilateral and do not involve any other party.
