Iran, Oman reach breakthrough on Strait of Hormuz shipping route

Iran and Oman have reached an understanding on the geographic coordinates for a shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz, and a joint announcement is being finalized, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said, Al Arabiya reports.

The proposed deal between Iran and Oman would give Tehran control over ships entering the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz, a senior Iranian source and two regional officials noted.

Despite the apparent step toward yielding to Iranian demands, the sources pushed back against assertions by US President Donald Trump that a deal reopening the strait was imminent, saying important details still had to be agreed.

Baghaei described the negotiations between Tehran and Muscat as “professional” and “moving forward,” saying “the two sides had reached a mutual understanding on the geographical parameters of the route under discussion.”

Iran and Oman have reached a preliminary understanding on the geographic coordinates of a proposed shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz, marking progress in negotiations aimed at facilitating maritime traffic through one of the world's most strategically important waterways.

Speaking on August 5, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said a joint announcement on the agreement is currently being finalized.

According to Baghaei, negotiations between Tehran and Muscat have advanced constructively.

Earlier, a senior Iranian source and two regional officials, reported that the proposed arrangement would give Tehran control over ships entering the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz, representing what the sources described as one of the most significant concessions made to Iran in the ongoing negotiations.

However, despite the apparent breakthrough, the officials cautioned that key aspects of the agreement remain unresolved. They also pushed back against US President Donald Trump's assertion that a deal to reopen the strategic waterway was imminent, stressing that important details still need to be negotiated before any final agreement can be reached.

Regarding any deal between Iran and Oman, the regional and Iranian sources cautioned that significant issues remained unresolved and ​also pushed back against suggestions from Trump that a deal reopening the strait was imminent.

"The concession has already been made regarding some form of control over Hormuz," one of the regional sources said.

The other regional source said there were ‌still details ⁠to be determined about how "control" would be defined, with Gulf negotiators insisting regional countries supervise inspections of ships, and that any payment of fees be voluntary.

According to the senior Iranian official, Iran is seeking fees of between 5% and 7% of the price of cargoes from ships using the strait. Oman is discussing fees of around 3%, while Washington wants no fees at all.

The senior Iranian source said the text of an agreement already on the table envisioned Iran having control of ships heading into the Gulf through the strait, and one of the main sticking points was what role Iran would also have over ships heading in the opposite direction.

In ​comments to local  media, Iranian Deputy ​Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the arrangement ⁠was "designed in such a way that commercial ships will pass through Iranian territorial waters, both on the inbound and outbound legs."

He said talks with Oman had "reached fundamental understandings" and added: "This progress is on the verge of being finalised."

Gharibabadi also said Iran had received messages from the United States indicating that it was "fully prepared to return ​to its commitments" under a mid-June memorandum of understanding with Iran that provided for immediate cessation of military operations.

He said this was a condition for ​reopening of the strait, while adding ⁠that no talks with the United States had been held in recent days.

By Vafa Guliyeva