Iran says close to Hormuz plan with Oman, but reopening depends on US

Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, Monday. Reuters-Yonhap

TEHRAN — Iran and Oman have agreed a route for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz and are putting the final touches on arrangements for jointly managing the waterway, Tehran's foreign ministry said Wednesday.

But official sources briefing Iranian media stressed that any reopening of the strait would depend on the United States fulfilling what Tehran sees as its commitment to end its own naval blockade of Iran's ports.

Iran has seized de facto control of the strait, a strategic waterway for global energy trade, since the United States and Israel launched their war against the country on February 28.

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly insisted Tehran is keen to do a deal to reopen the route to shipping, but Iran denies this and says it will instead make arrangements with its neighbour across the strait, Oman.

"The geographical coordinates of the route envisaged by the two sides have been agreed upon and, if certain third parties do not obstruct the process, the joint statement of the two countries, containing the main considerations and points of agreement, is also in the final review and drafting stage," spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said, according to state news agency IRNA.

According to the report, Baqaei told journalists that talks with Oman were moving forward, but that even if an understanding was reached, it would not mean that the strait had become safe for all passing vessels.

"The factors making the Strait of Hormuz insecure still exist on the part of the United States, particularly the naval blockade and other aggressive and threatening actions against Iran and its interests," he said.

Before the war, Hormuz carried around a fifth of the world's oil and LNG exports and prices have repeatedly surged since the dispute over the waterway erupted, piling economic and political pressure on Washington.

After imposing an effective blockade on the strait, Iran has insisted ships take a route that hugs the Iranian coast.

Many vessels have instead chosen to take a southern route, close to Oman on the opposite side of the strait, occasionally coming under fire.

Iran wants to control the strait and charge tolls, powers it did not exercise before the war, a development that would be fiercely opposed by the U.S.

In what has become a regular pattern, Trump last week threatened to hit Iran "very hard," potentially with attacks against civilian infrastructure, only to pull back, hinting a deal was near.

But Iran's foreign ministry denied negotiations were taking place with Washington.