Iran and Oman outline a joint proposal for a temporary shipping lane and demining effort through the critical Strait of Hormuz.
Top diplomats outline framework for temporary shipping corridor amid ongoing war
TEHRAN — Iran and Oman's top diplomats have discussed a proposed framework for a temporary transit corridor through the Strait of Hormuz and a mine-clearing project in the key waterway, which they both border. Oman's Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi arrived in Tehran on Tuesday for talks with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, to discuss future plans for the strait.
Iran and Oman outlined a proposal Tuesday to jointly establish a temporary shipping channel through the Strait of Hormuz, according to regional officials, after weeks of fraught discussions between the two countries.
The talks come as the months-long crisis in the waterway has taken a severe toll on global energy markets. Until the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, the Strait of Hormuz carried roughly 25% of the world's seaborne oil trade and 20% of the world's liquefied natural gas.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps issued warnings forbidding passage through the strait, boarded and attacked merchant ships, and laid sea mines in the strait. The disruption to global shipping has driven energy costs sharply higher.
Vice President Vance said Iran and Oman are working toward "a traffic scheme so that the ships that pass can pass through safely," adding that a deal required a commitment from Iran. Questions remain, however, about whether Washington and its allies will agree to any arrangement that sees the Hormuz jointly controlled by Iran and Oman.
The Omani foreign minister expressed hope that the two countries would "soon announce" a joint temporary transit corridor through the strategic waterway.
