Iran and Oman are reportedly close to an agreement that would fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping traffic. Under the proposed accord, both countries would collect a "service fee" intended to cover environmental and security costs associated with the waterway.
The New York Times, citing Iranian and U.S. officials familiar with the developing negotiations, reported that ships entering the strait from the Indian Ocean via the Gulf of Oman would be required to navigate through Iranian territorial waters. Conversely, vessels exiting the strait from the Persian Gulf would follow a route near Oman's coast on the southern side.
Iran's Foreign Ministry confirmed ongoing discussions with Oman regarding the establishment of what it described as a "temporary" shipping route through the strait, a crucial passage through which approximately one-fifth of the world's seaborne oil travels during peacetime. Saeed Ajorlu, a member of Tehran's negotiating committee, told state broadcaster IRIB that such an arrangement could be in effect for one to three months, during which "Iran is dominant."
"We assert that the legal regime for passage through the Strait of Hormuz must not return to its pre-war state," Ajorlu stated, referencing the period before the waterway was under specific state control.
However, a U.S. official speaking to The New York Times disputed Iran's characterization of the potential agreement. The official insisted that no tolls would be collected and that Tehran would not have authority over which ships could traverse the strait or the specific routes they would use.
