Iran and Oman are nearing an agreement on a temporary shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced on Sunday. Tehran has linked the full reopening of this strategic waterway to several conditions, including an end to US military pressure and the lifting of sanctions.
Araghchi explained that negotiations between Iran and Oman regarding the legal framework and management of shipping through the Strait have progressed significantly, particularly concerning the designation of a new transit route. He revealed that Iranian and Omani military and naval officials have been consulting navigational maps, with a final shipping route expected once discussions conclude.
However, the proposed arrangement is intended initially as a temporary measure, which could later form the basis for a permanent shipping route. Araghchi emphasized that the previous traffic separation scheme (TSS) used in the Strait is no longer acceptable to Iran and must be replaced. He acknowledged the technical and legal complexities involved, focusing first on establishing a temporary mechanism to facilitate maritime traffic.
Meanwhile, Tehran has made it clear that agreeing on a transit route does not equate to a full reopening of the Strait. Iran’s top security body has outlined six conditions for complete reopening, including the cessation of US threats, resolution of regional conflicts, lifting what Iran calls a naval blockade of its ports, and withdrawal of US military forces from the area.
Additional demands include compensation from the United States for war-related damages, removal of sanctions, and the unconditional return of Iranian assets frozen abroad. The US has yet to respond but continues to stress the importance of safe and secure navigation through the Strait in any final arrangement.
This situation underscores the distinction between restoring commercial shipping and the broader political and security disputes between Tehran and Washington.
Araghchi also accused the United States of violating the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, stating that Iran had implemented its fifth clause and helped restore maritime traffic to roughly 60 percent of normal levels within two weeks. Traffic is expected to return fully within a month, but he alleged that Washington’s efforts to establish new shipping routes despite Iranian warnings have complicated the situation and undermined Iran’s control over the waterway.
Oman, acting as a mediator, described the talks as constructive and condemned attacks on vessels in the Strait. The negotiations occur amid a broader dispute over control and management of maritime traffic through this critical passage. Iran has tightened its control during the crisis and seeks a greater regulatory role, including potential transit fees, a move opposed by the United States, which advocates for unrestricted international navigation.
An interim agreement reached in June allowed Iran and Oman to negotiate future management arrangements. These talks are approaching the end of a 60-day period, with an extension under consideration.
The discussions have unfolded against a backdrop of ongoing maritime incidents. Emirati authorities reported that a vessel operated by the UAE’s state-owned oil company ADNOC was struck by an Iranian missile in the Strait. No fatalities were reported, though ADNOC noted over a dozen vessels have faced missile and drone attacks since February, resulting in one death and 20 injuries.
Separately, a vessel near Khasab, Oman, was hit by a projectile causing a fire that was extinguished, with the crew safe. It remains unclear if this incident involved the same vessel attacked in the ADNOC incident or a separate one.
Araghchi also addressed Iran’s position on the Caspian Sea’s legal status, noting that Iran’s exact share of the waterway remains unresolved under the governing convention. Disputes over baselines and seabed division are left to bilateral and trilateral negotiations among the littoral states. The convention was submitted to the Iranian parliament in 2018 and 2019 but awaits ratification. It prohibits foreign military presence in the Caspian Sea.
In a significant development, the Strait of Hormuz faces a potentially pivotal yet uncertain transition. Iran and Oman appear close to establishing an interim mechanism to facilitate shipping, but a broader reopening depends on unresolved political, military, and economic issues between Tehran and Washington. Given the Strait’s status as one of the world’s most crucial maritime chokepoints, any prolonged disruption or restrictions could have far-reaching effects on global energy markets and trade.
