Iran said it has reached an agreement with Oman on a shipping route map for the Strait of Hormuz after weeks of technical talks aimed at ensuring safer passage for vessels through the strategic waterway.
Iran and Oman have reached an agreement on a shipping route map for the strategically important Strait of Hormuz following weeks of technical negotiations, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Saturday.
Baghaei told Defa Press that the two countries, which border the vital waterway, began intensive discussions around three months ago after signing a memorandum of understanding on June 18 to establish safer navigation routes.
Iran, Oman make progress on navigation routes
“Despite US obstruction, the talks have made positive progress over the past three weeks, and an agreement has been reached on the shipping route map,” Baghaei said.
He said the agreement was reached through coordination led by Iran’s Foreign Ministry, with defence, security and environmental authorities also involved in the negotiations.
However, Tehran and Muscat are still working on some outstanding issues, including the wording of a joint statement. Baghaei said discussions would continue until the process is formally completed.
Tehran stresses sovereignty over Strait
Baghaei described the arrangement as an independent agreement between Iran and Oman aimed at facilitating the safe movement of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz while respecting the sovereignty of both countries.
He stressed that the deal was focused on navigation and did not alter either country’s sovereignty over the strategic waterway.
More from WorldIran links normal shipping to US actions
Despite the agreement on navigation routes, Baghaei said the full restoration of security and normal commercial shipping through the strait would depend on the end of what Tehran described as illegal US actions, military threats and the naval blockade.
Iran has also demanded compensation over what it described as US violations of commitments made during the past two months.
Strait reopening remains tied to US commitments
The negotiations stem from the Iran-US memorandum of understanding, which assigned Tehran and Muscat the task of developing a new navigation framework for the Strait of Hormuz.
While Iran and Oman have continued technical discussions on shipping routes, Tehran has repeatedly maintained that any decision to fully reopen the strategic waterway remains conditional on Washington meeting its commitments under the memorandum.