Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Wednesday that any agreement with Oman would not mean Tehran implements Article 5 of the Islamabad memorandum, which requires reopening the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping free of charge for 60 days. The statement contradicts recent reports of a potential Oman-Iran deal including free transit through the strait.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi stated Wednesday evening that any agreement with Oman would not obligate Tehran to implement Article 5 of the Islamabad memorandum, which would require reopening the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping free of charge for 60 days. The statement directly contradicts earlier reports from diplomatic sources that the emerging Iran-Oman interim deal included a 60-day period of free transit through the strait.
The reports began Wednesday morning (05:26 Jerusalem) when Axios cited an interim deal between Iran and Oman that could be announced imminently, with inbound traffic through Iranian waters and outbound through Omani waters, no tolls, and mine clearance within 30 days. Diplomatic sources later confirmed similar details. Shortly after, Iranian state television denied any link between the potential Oman deal and an immediate reopening of the strait, stating that Tehran would keep the strait closed as long as the United States violated the agreement. Gharibabadi's new statement now explicitly frames the Oman deal as separate from the U.S.-Iran framework, ruling out the free-transit clause.
The Islamabad Agreement, a 60-day memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran signed in June 2026, includes provisions for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. As The Zioneer has reported, Iran has consistently qualified its commitments, with Gharibabadi stating on June 19 that reopening is only partial, and Foreign Minister Araghchi on June 26 indicating talks with Oman over transit fees. Iranian lawmaker Ahmad Nabavian warned on June 13 that the "unlimited passage" clause in the MOU cedes control of the strait. The new statement appears to reaffirm Tehran's insistence that bilateral agreements with Oman operate independently of the U.S.-Iran framework.
It remains unclear whether a final Iran-Oman agreement has been reached or when it might be announced. The reported details from diplomatic sources have not been officially confirmed, and Gharibabadi's statement casts doubt on the most significant clause regarding free passage. The Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed to commercial shipping, and the broader diplomatic timeline remains uncertain.
4 developments
- StrongIranian FM spokesman: New route accord with Oman not about reopening Strait of Hormuz
- DevelopingIran says new Hormuz arrangement temporary, 2–4 months, with 60-day toll-free period
- StrongIranian official: Tehran unlikely to accept alternatives to joint Oman Strait of Hormuz plan
- DevelopingIran says it will not collect Strait of Hormuz tolls for 60 days
Source and signal
- Open-source intake