Iran and Oman Near Deal on Temporary Hormuz Shipping Lane
Iran and Oman are close to agreeing on a temporary maritime route in the Strait of Hormuz, with talks ongoing amid recent attacks on vessels.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said Saturday that Tehran and Muscat are "very close" to finalizing an agreement on a temporary shipping route in the Strait of Hormuz. The announcement came through Iran's official news agency IRNA, with Araghchi telling reporters that negotiations between the two countries' military and naval forces have been based on available maps and that a new route will be designated once talks conclude.
Araghchi stressed that Iran no longer considers the previous traffic separation scheme acceptable for vessel traffic in the strait. He noted that establishing a new permanent route involves "extensive technical and legal complexities," which is why the two nations are currently focusing on a temporary solution that would later serve as the foundation for a permanent one.
However, the foreign minister added that reopening the strait depends on other conditions, including compensation from the United States for violations of a memorandum of understanding signed between Tehran and Washington in June.
On the same day, Oman's Foreign Ministry described the ongoing negotiations over navigation arrangements in the strait as proceeding in a "positive and constructive atmosphere," while condemning repeated attacks on vessels transiting the waterway.
The statements came amid fresh incidents in the region. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported a vessel being struck about 18 nautical miles off Khasab, Oman. Separately, the UAE's Foreign Ministry said one of its Abu Dhabi National Oil Company vessels was targeted by a missile while transiting the strait early Saturday.
Iran tightened its control over the strait on February 28, barring safe passage for vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States following their joint strikes on Iranian territory. The June memorandum of understanding was meant to end the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, with negotiations scheduled within 60 days to reach a final agreement. But recent regional escalation has left the fate of those talks uncertain.