Oman launches talks to secure freedom of navigation in Hormuz

Oman has launched discussions aimed at establishing a lasting framework to guarantee freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, with Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi emphasizing the sultanate's unique responsibility in securing one of the world's most strategically important maritime corridors.

Al Busaidi said Oman bears "a particular responsibility" because its territorial waters border the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route for global energy supplies and international trade, Al Jazeera reports.

"Complex talks have begun to shape a lasting framework guaranteeing freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz," he said.

The foreign minister said Oman is working to develop a long-term mechanism that would preserve maritime security while adhering to international legal standards.

"It is incumbent upon Oman to work with Iran – the other coastal state – as well as with the entire international community, which depends on this maritime route, to develop a system that is realistic, sustainable, and compliant with international law, thus safeguarding freedom of navigation," Al Busaidi noted.

By Vafa Guliyeva