DUBAI: Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Omani counterpart on Saturday (Jul 11) discussed arrangements for the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, as Washington seeks a public pledge of free, secure transit.
US President Donald Trump said on Friday that the US and Iran had agreed to continue talks despite an escalation of hostilities this week, while also declaring an end to the ceasefire between the two countries.
No attacks were reported on Friday or Saturday, however. A senior Iranian source told Reuters that Iran, the US, Qatar and Pakistan had agreed to negotiate in a call that mediators were trying to arrange for Saturday while Mr Araqchi is in Oman.
It was not immediately clear whether the efforts were successful, but Mr Araqchi and Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi “exchanged views on appropriate mechanisms for the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz”, in accordance with the ceasefire deal, according to a statement from the Iranian foreign minister.
Oman’s state news agency later said that Omani and Iranian negotiators would continue talks “at the technical and political levels”.
Oman is helping to mediate an end to a war that has destabilised the Gulf and raised prices around the world since the US and Israel launched air strikes on Iran on Feb 28.
About a fifth of the world’s oil supply transited through the Strait of Hormuz before the war, and Iran’s effective blockade of the waterway has caused energy prices to surge, fuelling global inflation.
The US is demanding that Iran publicly state it will stop attacks on ships in the strait, and that all lanes will be open with no tolls through the waterway, senior US officials told reporters on Friday.
CNN reported on Saturday that Oman made a draft proposal for the strait, including free navigation through its southern corridor in Omani territorial waters. The plan called for vessels transiting the northern corridor through Iranian territorial waters to obtain prior approval from Iran, although no tolls would be imposed, CNN said.
The White House and State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the CNN report.
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