Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister said the temporary shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz will be closed and a new route, mostly in Iranian territorial waters, will be adopted under understandings with Oman, according to Abu Ali Express. The official also said Iran received messages from the US indicating readiness to return to its commitments, but denied recent negotiations with Washington.
The Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister's latest statement, hours after initial reports of the emerging framework, provides the most detailed official account of the new navigation arrangement. The deputy minister said the two temporary shipping lanes — a northern route through Iranian waters and a southern route through Omani waters — will be closed, and a new single route mostly within Iranian territorial waters will be adopted instead. He also said Iran received messages from the United States indicating Washington's readiness to return to its commitments under the emerging framework, but denied that direct negotiations with the US had taken place in recent days.
The statement follows a sequence of reports tonight. At 20:03 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported that the deputy minister had said the new route is temporary and could last two to four months or more. At the same time, a senior Iranian official said vessels would pass through Iranian territorial waters for both entry and parts of the exit route. At 21:01, The Zioneer reported that Iran and Oman had reached an agreement on the new route. Earlier, the Associated Press reported that a draft agreement had been completed pending the approval of Iran's Supreme Leader. The Iranian account has moved from general statements to specific operational details.
The Zioneer has previously reported on Tehran's efforts to frame the Strait of Hormuz as a shared maritime route under joint Iranian-Omani jurisdiction, rather than international waters. Iran has also claimed the US recognized its right to collect tolls after a 60-day grace period, though Washington has not confirmed this. The US has signaled that if the diplomatic framework fails to stabilize the strait, it is considering military action against Iranian targets.
It remains unclear whether the new route will be permanent or temporary; the deputy minister said it could last 2–4 months or more. The agreement still requires formal approval from Iran's Supreme Leader. The deputy minister denied direct negotiations with the US, despite claiming US signals on readiness to return.
4 developments
- StrongIranian official: Tehran unlikely to accept alternatives to joint Oman Strait of Hormuz plan
- StrongIranian FM spokesman: New route accord with Oman not about reopening Strait of Hormuz
- StrongIranian outlets claim Strait of Hormuz remains closed, contradicting US denials
- DevelopingRegional diplomats report progress on temporary Strait of Hormuz solution, i24NEWS says
Source and signal
- Open-source intake