Iran and Oman are negotiating the opening of a temporary shipping corridor and the clearance of mines in the blockaded Strait of Hormuz, which both nations border.
They have yet to agree on the conditions for the waterway’s reopening as the Middle East war nears the six-month mark, but talks are ongoing.
Here’s what we know about the latest negotiations between Tehran and Muscat.
Why Oman?
Both countries sit on the strait crucial for the global oil and gas trade, and are trying to define the terms of a controlled resumption of shipping, which has been paralysed by Tehran since the US-Israeli attacks that started the war in late February.
Read moreWhy is France betting on Oman amid the Hormuz crisis?
A US-Iran memorandum of understanding signed in mid-June provided for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and left it up to Iran and Oman «to define the future administration and maritime services» in the waterway, in discussion with Gulf states and in line with international law.
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But the deal, which was supposed to pave the way for talks on permanently ending the war, has since fallen apart.
Is there any progress?
In Tehran on Tuesday, the Iranian and Omani foreign ministers discussed a framework agreement that would establish a «temporary corridor» for shipping and a project to clear mines in the strait, according to a joint statement.
Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said on X after the talks that he hoped the new corridor and «practical arrangements to restore safe navigation» would be announced «soon».
He added that «future management of the strait and a permanent solution will follow in due course».
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, in an interview with local media, explained the proposed arrangement would see ships entering the Gulf pass through Iranian waters, while those leaving would use Omani waters.
He also said that if the plan with Oman was agreed upon, the two would have 30 to 60 days to hammer out a permanent route, adding that Iran’s Revolutionary Guards were involved in the talks and that the maps under discussion were drawn up by the armed forces.
The Guards said on Wednesday that they had agreed in negotiations with Oman to share revenues earned from any fees imposed in the strait – an idea rejected by Washington.
Why are talks held up?
Tehran continues to make the full reopening of the strait conditional on US concessions, particularly as the US imposes a counter-blockade on Iranian ports.
«Before any action is taken to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the United States must fully implement all the commitments it has breached,» Gharibabadi warned Washington late Tuesday.
«The Strait of Hormuz will only be reopened in exchange for an end to the war on all fronts, the lifting of the blockade and a resolution to the situation in Yemen.»
Experts say such negotiations are not a quick process, as they focus on sovereignty, jurisdiction, the control of vessels and potential fees, as well as ensuring that any agreement complies with international law.
«Oman and Iran are effectively negotiating elements of a post-war governance and security architecture for Hormuz – which explains the slow pace,» Omani researcher Abdallah Baaboud told AFP.
Read moreHow ships are risking ‘safe’ passage through the Strait of Hormuz
For Iran, the Strait of Hormuz is also not an isolated maritime issue.
Tehran links the full reopening of the strait to its standoff with Washington in the war, demanding the lifting of US sanctions, compensation for war damage and security guarantees.
Oman, for its part, is seeking to «separate freedom of navigation as much as possible from the wider conflict», with the two nations’ different strategies «the real source of the delay», said Baaboud.
What about Washington?
Washington has not responded to the Iran-Oman joint statement, but beforehand it reported progress on the Hormuz issue.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly asserted that the strait is under US control – a claim denied by Tehran – and threatened Oman with bombing if the sultanate were to «stand in the way» of the US’s path through the waterway.
Read moreIran calls out Trump’s ‘lies’ about US control over the Strait of Hormuz
That has put Muscat in the awkward position of trying to maintain its role as an intermediary to Tehran, without giving the impression of full support for Iranian control over Hormuz shipping for fear of risking its strategic relationship with Washington.
«Washington may be uncomfortable with aspects of Oman’s diplomacy, but it also needs the channel Oman provides,» said Baaboud.
By calling for other nearby coastal Gulf states to be involved in the discussions, Muscat is trying to avoid giving the impression of a one-on-one deal with Tehran, he added.
The aim would be to achieve «a regional understanding in which freedom of navigation is guaranteed collectively», rather than relying on a permanent US military presence or Iran’s ability to control the strait on its own.
«That would be a very Omani outcome,» he said.
«Not a grand peace settlement, but a practical arrangement that removes reasons for confrontation and opens space for wider diplomacy.»
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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