IRAN says ongoing negotiations with Oman on new shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz are making positive progress at both the technical and political levels, with discussions focused on establishing safe maritime corridors through one of the world's most strategically important waterways.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the talks centred on creating safe passage for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz while developing a joint framework with Oman to oversee future maritime traffic.
"Iran is seeking to develop a joint mechanism with Oman to manage the movement of ships in the Strait of Hormuz in the future.
"Any new route must safeguard the sovereign rights and national security of both countries, while a final decision will only be announced once negotiations have concluded," Reuters cited him saying in an interview with state broadcaster IRIB TV.
State-run Press TV also quoted a senior Iranian official as saying the proposed maritime corridor would replace the existing northern and southern shipping lanes once it becomes operational.
The official described the initiative as a measure to safeguard Iran's sovereignty and said it reflected the right of any sovereign nation to protect its territorial waters from external threats.
The negotiations come after months of heightened tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy shipping route.
On Feb 28, Iran tightened controls in the strait by denying safe passage to vessels owned by, or linked to, Israel and the United States following joint military strikes by the two countries on Iranian territory.
In July, the United States launched a series of strikes against targets in Iran, saying the attacks were in response to Iranian operations against vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and were intended to reduce Tehran's ability to threaten commercial shipping.
Iran subsequently retaliated with missile and drone strikes targeting US military bases and facilities across the region. - August 5, 2026
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