The Iranian Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that Tehran and Oman have agreed on a shipping route in the Strait of Hormuz and are finalizing arrangements for joint management of the waterway. The development follows a draft framework agreement reached earlier Wednesday, as The Zioneer reported.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry confirmed Wednesday evening that Tehran and Oman have agreed on a specific shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz and are in the final stages of arranging joint management of the passage. This announcement marks the first official confirmation of an agreement that had been reported in stages throughout the day.
Earlier Wednesday, at 07:20 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported that a draft framework had been completed. Over the following hours, the Iranian Foreign Ministry stated that the geographical characteristics of the route had been agreed, then that the exact coordinates for the shipping lane were settled. An Iranian source indicated a joint statement was in its final stages, warning against "third-party" interference. A regional diplomat told i24NEWS that the intention was to announce the agreement as early as Thursday, pending final approvals. The thread culminated in the evening confirmation that the route and joint management arrangements are being finalized. The Zioneer has been tracking this development since earlier reports of Iran-Oman talks on a joint management company (June 15) and subsequent discussions on fees, a memorandum, and control over vessel entry.
The agreement follows months of diplomatic efforts by Tehran to assert a role in managing the strategic waterway, which the U.S. has insisted must remain open to international shipping. As The Zioneer reported on June 15, Iran and Oman announced a joint management company. On June 26, the Iranian Foreign Ministry linked shipping in the strait to a memorandum with Oman, and later that day, Iran said it would hold talks with Oman on fees. In July, talks in Muscat were confirmed, and Iran was reported to have initiated the negotiations. This week's developments appear to bring the two sides closer to a bilateral framework, though the precise terms remain undisclosed.
What remains open: The specific route coordinates and the management mechanism have not been publicly released. The Iranian statement also cautioned that the agreement does not in itself guarantee safe transit and that it could be disrupted by a "third party." The announcement is subject to final approvals, and the regional diplomat noted that the joint declaration is expected on Thursday.
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