Oman and Iran have conducted deputy foreign minister-level talks, discussing options to ensure the smooth transit of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. The Omani Foreign Ministry announced this on Sunday in a post on X, stating that the meeting was held “at the level of undersecretaries in the foreign ministries of the two countries” and “attended by specialists from both sides.”
During the talks, “possible options were discussed regarding ensuring the smooth passage through the Strait of Hormuz during these circumstances witnessed in the region.” The ministry added that “during the meeting, experts from both sides presented a number of visions and proposals that will be studied.”
These developments follow an Iranian official’s statement on Thursday that Iran is drafting a protocol with Oman to monitor traffic in the strait, through which about one-fifth of global oil supplies travel. Iran has severely restricted the waterway in retaliation for the ongoing war by the US and Israeli regimes, which began on February 28.
Since the war started, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has allowed transit for some vessels, including those linked to Pakistan, France, and Turkey, but approximately 3,000 others remain stranded. The strait is a critical chokepoint for global energy shipments, particularly oil and gas moving from the Gulf to Europe and Asia.
Disruptions there have injected volatility into the market and pushed oil- and gas-importing countries to seek alternative sources. United States President Donald Trump, in a social media post over the weekend, threatened to unleash “all Hell” if it is not opened by Monday.
Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held separate calls to discuss proposals for regional de-escalation with US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and regional counterparts, including Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Amin Saikal, a professor emeritus at the Australian National University, said an expansion of the war “is going to be hell for the whole region,” but noted that the door for a diplomatic solution seems very narrow unless Trump decides to compromise.
Source: www.aljazeera.com