Two regional diplomats told i24NEWS that progress has been made in efforts to resolve the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz. The proposed solution is a temporary one: opening a middle route between Omani and Iranian territorial waters. The diplomats added that on a permanent solution, Iran insists on controlling the strait and collecting mandatory fees from ships, which the U.S. opposes.
The report, by i24NEWS diplomatic correspondent Amichai Stein, cites two regional diplomats who said progress has been made toward a temporary resolution of the ongoing crisis in the Strait of Hormuz. The proposed mechanism involves opening a middle route through the strait, between Omani and Iranian territorial waters, as an interim measure. The diplomats cautioned that this is only a temporary solution. On a permanent arrangement, they said, Iran continues to insist on maintaining control of the strait and collecting mandatory fees from vessels, a position the United States rejects.
The development comes on the same day that Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Iran is using alternative routes to bypass the U.S. naval siege and that the closure of the Strait is putting pressure on global trade, as The Zioneer reported earlier Tuesday.
The Strait of Hormuz crisis has seen multiple diplomatic efforts. Earlier this month, Oman proposed an alternative southern route under U.S. supervision, which Iran reportedly rejected. The United States has also intensified its aerial presence over the strait to protect shipping using the Omani route, as The Zioneer has previously reported. The core dispute remains Iran's demand for control and toll collection, which Washington views as an attempt to institutionalize Iranian hegemony over the waterway.
- StrongOmani mediators optimistic for Strait of Hormuz breakthrough in coming days, Bloomberg reports
- DevelopingSources report 'some progress' in Omani-Iranian talks on Hormuz shipping, but deal uncertain
- DevelopingReport: Oman submits formal Strait of Hormuz proposal to US
- DevelopingIran and Oman advance joint plan for Strait of Hormuz transit fees
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