According to a report from Iran's IRNA news agency, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei said Sunday evening that negotiations with Oman on the Strait of Hormuz are in their final stages. Baqaei stated the talks are focused on finding a joint mechanism for the waterway, and that the understanding on a new route does not affect the status of the strait as closed or open.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei stated Sunday evening that negotiations with Oman on the Strait of Hormuz are in their final stages, focused on establishing a joint mechanism for the strategic waterway. Baqaei added that the understanding on a new transit route does not affect the status of the strait as closed or open, according to a report from Iran's IRNA news agency.
The statement is part of a series of Iranian announcements Sunday evening. At 19:36 Jerusalem, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Baqaei both declared that the Strait of Hormuz will not return to its pre-war status under any circumstances, and that negotiations with Oman are in their final stages. As The Zioneer reported at 19:54 Jerusalem, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has twice rejected the proposed compromise, underscoring internal divisions within the Iranian regime. The talks with Oman, ongoing for weeks, were first disclosed by Iran on June 19, when the Foreign Ministry said negotiations on a final agreement would open in the coming days, and have since included multiple rounds in Muscat.
The negotiations are part of a broader diplomatic effort to establish a new maritime framework for the strait, one of the world's most critical oil chokepoints. Iran has conditioned the reopening of the waterway on various demands, including a cessation of Israeli military activity in Lebanon and the release of frozen Iranian assets, as The Zioneer reported on June 21. A joint declaration by Iran and Oman on June 23 reiterated the sovereign rights of both nations over their respective territorial waters in the strait, with Iran asserting that shipping is governed by a memorandum of understanding with Oman.
No details were provided on the timeline for a final agreement or the specific terms of the joint mechanism with Oman. The internal divisions within Iran, particularly the IRGC's reported rejection of the compromise, suggest that the path to a final agreement remains uncertain.
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