Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated Saturday that negotiations with Oman on managing the Strait of Hormuz are close to an agreement, but the reopening of the waterway remains conditional on what he described as compensation for US violations of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, according to Iranian reports.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated Saturday that negotiations with Oman on the Strait of Hormuz are close to an agreement, but added conditions for the waterway's reopening. In a statement, Araghchi said the opening is subject to "additional conditions, including compensation for the violations by the United States of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding."
The remarks add a new condition to the public Iranian position. Earlier Saturday, the IRGC spokesman stated that the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is conditional on the United States accepting Iran's full set of conditions and is not linked to the Oman mediation efforts. On Wednesday, Iran stated that the reopening is conditional on the US fulfilling prior commitments, including lifting the naval blockade, removing export restrictions, and releasing frozen funds.
The condition of compensation for US violations of the Islamabad MoU is a new element in the public discourse. The Islamabad MoU, whose draft was published by Iranian-linked channels in June, is a framework for de-escalation that includes reopening the strait and temporary sanctions relief. As The Zioneer reported on June 12, Araghchi detailed a post-war management plan for the strait, including a joint toll system with Oman.
The new condition suggests that Tehran is linking the reopening to retroactive redress for perceived US breaches of the earlier agreement. It remains unclear whether the US has responded to this demand, and whether the Oman-mediated talks will proceed to a final agreement.
5 developments
- ConfirmedReport: Iran's deputy foreign minister discussed a joint center to manage Hormuz shipping with Oman
- DevelopingIranian Parliament Awaits Final Approval on Proposed Strait of Hormuz Navigation Agreement with Oman
- DevelopingIranian FM: Strait of Hormuz is not international waters, but a shared maritime route with Oman
- StrongIran says it will hold talks with Oman to set fees for Strait of Hormuz passage
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