Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei confirmed Sunday that talks between the foreign ministers of Iran and Oman took place yesterday in Muscat, with the aim of coordinating on rules for maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. The sides agreed to continue the talks at political and technical-legal levels, according to Baqaei, as reported by Israeli journalist Sapir Lipkin (N12).
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei confirmed Sunday morning that talks between the foreign ministers of Iran and Oman took place yesterday in Muscat, with the aim of coordinating rules for maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. Baqaei said the sides agreed to continue the discussions at political and technical-legal levels, marking the first official Iranian confirmation of the talks after earlier reports from Oman's side.
In a series of reports Saturday evening (Jul 11, 19:21 Jerusalem), The Zioneer tracked the negotiations: Omani officials initially claimed that an understanding had been reached for free passage through the strait, but Iran's foreign ministry did not confirm that claim. Later, Oman's state news agency reported that Iran had agreed to continue talks on a solution, and that mediator delegations, including Iranian and Qatari envoys, had departed Oman. The thread also recorded that Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met his Omani counterpart in Muscat and discussed navigation safety under Article 5 of the Islamabad memorandum of understanding, and that Qatar's prime minister joined the meeting. A US ultimatum for a weekend agreement was also reported.
The talks are part of a broader Iranian effort to assert influence over the Strait of Hormuz. As The Zioneer has reported previously, Iran's foreign minister has stated that the strait is not international waters but a shared maritime route with Iran and Oman. Iran's parliament speaker, Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, said an arrangement had been reached with Oman on ship traffic, and the foreign minister indicated that Tehran would hold talks with Oman to set fees for passage through the strait.
What remains unclear is the specific outcome of the talks. While Baqaei's confirmation indicates agreement to continue dialogue, the question of whether the discussions will lead to free passage for all shipping or to a system of transit fees—a key point of contention between Iran and Gulf states—has not been resolved. The positions of the United States and Gulf Arab states, which have opposed Iranian efforts to regulate the strait, also remain unaddressed in the official statements.
10 developments
- StrongIran initiates Muscat talks on Strait of Hormuz passage, Al Arabiya reports
- StrongIran says it will hold talks with Oman to set fees for Strait of Hormuz passage
- DevelopingIran says it established joint committee with Oman on Hormuz talks
- DevelopingIranian Foreign Ministry: Shipping in Strait of Hormuz governed by end-of-war memorandum with Oman
Source and signal
- Internal intake