On Monday, Oman will convene a regional meeting on commercial shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz that will include Iran, Iraq and Gulf States, according to Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Friday.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the meeting would touch upon the result of the talks held in Muscat between Tehran and Muscat on the provision of safe passages for commercial vessels in the strategic waterway.
Iran and Oman reached an understanding on temporary shipping lanes and Tehran would keep its commitment to securing the passage of ships in the strait, Baqei said.
The news comes at a time of on-going friction between Iran and the USA regarding the waterway. During the conflict, commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has been severely affected, posing a concern for the world’s energy supplies and international shipping.
Iran and Oman have been discussing the idea of a temporary corridor for commercial ships, and the eventual goal of establishing a permanent corridor for maritime traffic. Past offers have been met with objections regarding the role that the U.S. would play and what would be required for normal shipping to resume.
The Omani talks might offer a regional venue to discuss ways to resume safe commercial shipping amid high tensions over the Strait of Hormuz.
