The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said Sunday that the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is not related to ongoing negotiations with Oman, but to violations of commitments by the United States.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman on Sunday clarified that the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is contingent on US compliance with bilateral commitments, and is not tied to the ongoing negotiations with Oman. The statement, which is the latest in a series of Iranian comments on the issue, explicitly severs the reopening from the diplomatic track with Oman, insisting instead that the strait's status depends on Washington addressing what Tehran calls violations of the memorandum of understanding.
The remark follows earlier statements today from the Iranian side. At 19:42 Jerusalem, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed that negotiations with Oman over the strait were in their final stages. Shortly after, the same spokesman clarified that the understandings with Oman are designed to establish a management framework for the waterway, not to declare it open or closed.
The Zioneer has reported extensively on Iran's evolving position on the Strait of Hormuz amid the diplomatic efforts. On July 19, the spokesman accused the United States of violating the MoU by attempting to take over shipping in the strategic waterway. On July 8, he accused the US of undermining the MoU by challenging Article 5, which assigns Iran responsibility for safe passage. On July 15, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister declared that the US had 'completely collapsed' the MoU, and that Iran was no longer obligated to any of its commitments regarding the strait. A senior US official told Reuters on July 29 that the agreement under discussion is a coordination agreement only, and does not include tolls or fees for passage. The Zioneer also reported on June 13 that hardliner lawmaker Nabavian warned that the draft agreement lacked clear language preserving Iranian control over the strait.
It remains unclear which specific US violations must be resolved for the strait to reopen, and how the Oman negotiations factor into the broader framework. The spokesman's latest statement does not resolve the ambiguity between the two diplomatic tracks, nor does it specify a timeline for reopening.
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