- geographic coordinates for a shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz understood by Iran and Oman, according to Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei on Wednesday.
- professional and moving forward, with the two sides having reached a mutual understanding on the geographical parameters of the route under discussion, according to Baghaei.
- joint statement between the two countries, containing the main considerations and key points of understanding, was in the final stages of review and drafting if third parties do not obstruct.
- give Tehran control over ships entering the gulf through the Strait of Hormuz, according to a senior Iranian source and two regional officials, in one of the biggest concessions yet to Iran.
In a significant development, Iran and Oman have reached an understanding on the geographic coordinates for a shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz, with a joint statement nearing finalization, Tehran’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday, provided third parties do not interfere.13
Baghaei described the negotiations as “professional” and “moving forward”, saying “the two sides had reached a mutual understanding on the geographical parameters of the route under discussion.”2
Baghaei added that, if some third parties do not obstruct the process, the joint statement between the two countries, containing the main considerations and key points of understanding, was in the final stages of review and drafting.
The proposed deal between Iran and Oman would “give Tehran control over ships entering the gulf through the strait of Hormuz”, according to a senior Iranian source and two regional officials cited by Reuters on Wednesday, marking “one of the biggest concessions yet” to Tehran4
Still, officials cautioned that a deal to reopen the strait was not imminent; “important details still had to be agreed”, and some observers warned that further negotiations remain necessary.
Baghaei’s remarks underscore that even with coordinates agreed, the agreement would “not guarantee security in the strategic waterway.”
The episode illustrates how control over Hormuz remains a leverage point in regional security calculations, even as Riyadh and Muscat seek clarity on governance and enforcement.
Details remain to be hammered out, with third-party interference cited as a potential obstacle to finalizing the joint statement and any formal accord.
“Baghaei called the talks 'professional' and 'moving forward', but cautioned that any agreement would not by itself guarantee security in the strategic waterway. The proposed deal, one of the biggest concessions yet to Iran, would give Tehran control over ships entering the gulf.”
The Guardian
