Iran’s foreign minister says talks with Oman on a new maritime route through the Strait of Hormuz are entering their final stages, as the US signals openness to a deal.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said that negotiations with Oman on the Strait of Hormuz are entering their final stages, describing the talks as on the way to being finalised in a post on Telegram. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said Tehran and Muscat were close to reaching a deal on a new maritime route through Hormuz, separate from existing corridors, that would respect the sovereign rights of both sides.
Both Iran’s and Oman’s territorial waters border the Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately 20 per cent of global oil consumption is normally shipped. Baghaei said an understanding between Iran and Oman on a new route was separate from the question of whether the strait would reopen, and blamed the US for its closure, accusing Washington of breaching its commitments and imposing a naval blockade.
The diplomatic developments come after a June ceasefire between the US and Iran collapsed within weeks in a dispute over shipping routes through Hormuz, with fighting reigniting in July. US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the US and Israel had agreed to halt new attacks on Iran, provided a deal to end the months-long conflict was reached rapidly, with Trump stating that any deal would include the immediate, complete and total opening of the Strait of Hormuz and an end to Iran’s nuclear threat. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the Memorandum of Understanding with the US would become the cornerstone of Tehran’s future foreign relations. Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke to Trump by phone, urging him to prioritise dialogue and reduce escalation, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
Source: Al Jazeera
