Iran and Oman agree on new temporary route in Hormuz

Iran and Oman agreed to establish a temporary maritime corridor in the Strait of Hormuz that they will jointly oversee, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said.

According to him, the agreed route would run through Iranian territorial waters on entry, with part of the exit route also passing through Iranian waters.

Gharibabadi described the route as a temporary arrangement, noting that Iran and Oman would hold further negotiations, which are expected to last between 30 and 60 days, to determine a permanent route and future arrangements for managing passage through the strait.

He emphasized that the agreement with Oman should not be interpreted as the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

“The Strait of Hormuz is closed, and we have complete control over it,” Gharibabadi said.

According to Gharibabadi, activating the joint route agreed with Oman would also mean closing the southern passage. He said the two countries had agreed to begin technical negotiations on an alternative to the historical route.

The official also said that any return to diplomacy would require the United States to first fulfill its commitments under the Islamabad Memorandum.