Iran Close to Reaching Deal with Oman on Strait of Hormuz Route
JAKARTA - The spokesperson for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Sunday, Tehran and Muscat are close to reaching an agreement on a new maritime route through the Strait of Hormuz, separate from the existing corridor.
"We will now reach an understanding on a route acceptable to both sides - neither a northern route nor a southern route - but a route that respects the sovereignty of both parties and protects our national interests and security," Esmaeil Baghaei said in an interview with state television, Al Arabiya reported from AFP (3/8).
The details of the new route are not immediately clear, but Iran has effectively maintained control over the strategic waterway, through which about 20 percent of global oil consumption passes in normal days, since the outbreak of the war on February 28.
Previously, state news agency IRNA quoted Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi as saying negotiations with Oman, another coastal country in the strait, "are in the final stages and are undergoing the final stages," without providing further details.
Muscat did not immediately comment on the matter.
However, Baghaei said, "the understanding between Iran and Oman about the new route has nothing to do with whether the Strait of Hormuz is reopened or remains closed," blaming the US for the closure and accusing Washington of violating its commitments.
"The strait was closed due to the violation of the commitment of the United States, its naval blockade against Iran, and all the hostile actions that the United States has taken against the Islamic Republic of Iran during this period," he explained.
Tehran and Washington signed an agreement in mid-June that ended months of hostilities, with provisions on the Strait of Hormuz and the resumption of diplomacy between Tehran and Washington towards a broader agreement.
The deal then collapsed after Iran and the US accused each other of violating its provisions, followed by a US attack on Iran and Tehran's retaliatory attacks in the region.