Iran and Oman are nearing an agreement on managing traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s foreign minister said. However, Tehran stressed that the talks do not mean the waterway will immediately reopen.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said discussions with Oman focus on legal arrangements and the management of shipping routes through the strategic strait. He added that both sides have made significant progress toward an agreement.
Araghchi said reopening the Strait of Hormuz depends on several additional conditions. In particular, Iran wants the United States to address what Tehran considers violations of an earlier Islamabad understanding.
The latest Iran-Oman talks on the Strait of Hormuz therefore involve both technical arrangements and broader political demands. Tehran also appears focused on creating a temporary framework before establishing a permanent route.
Araghchi explained that technical and legal complications make an immediate permanent agreement difficult. Therefore, Iran and Oman are currently working toward establishing a temporary shipping route.
According to the minister, authorities could later use that temporary arrangement as the foundation for a permanent route. This approach could help address navigation, legal, and security concerns surrounding commercial traffic.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has maintained a firm position on reopening the waterway. Its spokesman, Hossein Mohebbi, said Iran would require the United States to accept its conditions.
Mohebbi also described the Strait of Hormuz as more than an important economic waterway. He said Iran views control over the strategic passage as an important source of national power.
The Strait of Hormuz remains critical to global energy markets because major oil shipments pass through the waterway. Consequently, uncertainty surrounding navigation can affect shipping costs, insurance rates, and energy prices.
For regional economies, a temporary route could provide an important step toward restoring more predictable maritime traffic. Nevertheless, the broader political dispute between Tehran and Washington remains a major obstacle.
Going forward, Iran and Oman are expected to continue their technical and legal discussions. Meanwhile, the reopening question will likely depend on wider negotiations involving Iran, the United States, and regional partners.