Iran says it has reached an agreement with Oman on a route for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei did not give any further details on the agreement, which he said was
"in the final stages".
Baqaei warned however that a deal with Oman would not guarantee safe navigation through the strait on its own, arguing that security remains impacted by the US blockade of Iran's ports. The US and Oman have not commented on the proposal.
Since the US and Israel attacked Iran in late February, Tehran has largely blocked the Strait of Hormuz through which about a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas usually passes. Since then, global oil prices have fluctuated wildly.
On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump warned that Iran would be
"hit very hard"if the strait did not open
"very soon".
His comments came after senior US officials said talks had progressed to allow shipments to potentially to resume later this week, though Iran has maintained that it is not negotiating with the US and has no plans to do so.
Reopening of the strait has been a key point in discussions between the two countries and mediators.
In his statement, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said the
"geographical coordinates of the route"had been agreed with Oman.
"The factors making the Strait of Hormuz insecure still exist on the part of the United States, particularly the naval blockade and other aggressive and threatening actions against Iran and its interests,"he said, according to Iran's official Irna news agency.
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi later told Irna that the new route would be temporary and could stay open from two to four months. He did not give further details.
Since the beginning of the war, traffic through the strait has dwindled. Iran has said all passage needs to be cleared beforehand - and it has attacked vessels which have ignored the order.
One of the main points of disagreement between Tehran and Washington has been Iran's threat to impose a fee on vessels wishing to cross the strait.
On Wednesday, Iranian officials did not say if this issue formed part of the talks with Oman.
In June, Iran and the US signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), aiming to stop fighting, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and reach agreement to end the war within 60 days.
The deal quickly fell through, as did diplomatic talks, with tit-for-tat attacks resuming just days after the MoU was signed.
The US has maintained a naval blockade of Iranian ports in the region, while another blockade is in place on Saudi Arabia's ports in the Red Sea, imposed by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis since 20 July.
What is the status of the proposed route?
The proposed route is in its final stages, according to Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei, who said Iran has agreed with Oman on the route for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. He said the geographical coordinates of the route had been agreed with Oman, but provided no further details.
Will the agreement guarantee safe passage?
No. Baqaei said a deal with Oman would not guarantee safe navigation through the strait on its own, because security remains affected by the US blockade of Iran's ports.
Why is the Strait of Hormuz so important?
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical shipping route through which about a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas usually passes. Since the US and Israel attacked Iran in late February, Tehran has largely blocked the strait, causing global oil prices to fluctuate wildly.
How have the US and Iran responded?
The US and Iran continue to dispute the reopening of the waterway. On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump warned that Iran would be
"hit very hard"if the strait did not open
"very soon", after senior US officials said talks had progressed to allow shipments to potentially resume later this week.
Iran has maintained that it is not negotiating with the US and has no plans to do so. Reopening the strait has been a key point in discussions between the two countries and mediators.
What other issues remain unresolved?
One of the main points of disagreement between Tehran and Washington has been Iran's threat to impose a fee on vessels wishing to cross the strait. On Wednesday, Iranian officials did not say whether this issue formed part of the talks with Oman.
Since the beginning of the war, traffic through the strait has dwindled. Iran has said all passage needs to be cleared beforehand, and it has attacked vessels which have ignored the order.
What happened to the June agreement?
In June, Iran and the US signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aiming to stop fighting, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and reach agreement to end the war within 60 days. The deal quickly fell through, as did diplomatic talks, with tit-for-tat attacks resuming just days after the MoU was signed.
The US has maintained a naval blockade of Iranian ports in the region, while another blockade is in place on Saudi Arabia's ports in the Red Sea, imposed by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis since 20 July.
Key Facts
- Iran says it has agreed with Oman on a shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz.
- Esmaeil Baqaei said the agreement was
"in the final stages"
and that the"geographical coordinates of the route"
had been agreed. - Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the route could stay open for two to four months.
- The Strait of Hormuz normally carries about a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas.
- The US and Oman have not commented on the proposal.
