Iran says it is working with Oman on designing a new mechanism to regulate transit through the Strait of Hormuz, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei has said.
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Speaking at his weekly press conference on Monday, Baghaei said Tehran was holding ongoing consultations with Muscat on the initiative. He also described the recent US\u2013Israel conflict against Iran as a \u201cblatant violation of international law\u201d that, he said, prompted Tehran to take defensive measures, News.Az<\/a> reports, citing Iran\u2019s Press TV<\/a>.<\/p>\n Baghaei said the Strait of Hormuz is a \u201cvital\u201d maritime passage whose importance extends beyond Iran, Oman and the region to the global economy.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Islamic Republic of Iran has always made tremendous efforts to safeguard safe and secure transit through this route and continues to insist that passage through the Strait of Hormuz must take place in the best possible manner with complete safety,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n He added that both Iran and Oman consider themselves responsible for ensuring secure navigation through the strait, which he said lies within the territorial waters of the two coastal states.<\/p>\n \u201cThe attack on the Islamic Republic of Iran, as a coastal state, prompted Tehran to adopt a series of measures under international law to defend its national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national security. These actions are permitted under international law and Iran’s domestic rules and are fully consistent with the country’s legal obligations,\u201d Baghaei said.<\/p>\n The spokesperson confirmed that work on the mechanism is continuing, saying: \u201cWe are currently in constant contact with Oman and other relevant parties to devise a mechanism that realizes this goal.\u201d<\/p>\n He said Iranian and Omani experts met in Muscat last week, adding that consultations between the two countries were ongoing without interruption.<\/p>\n