Iran and Oman have reached an agreement on the Strait of Hormuz temporary route and the sharing of revenues, according to a spokesperson for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
According to the Iranian media, the IRGC spokesperson said negotiations between Iran and Oman had been delayed due to thr US interference in the discussions.
Earlier, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the two countries had been negotiating for around 40 days over a transit mechanism through the strait. Under the proposed temporary arrangement, a route approximately seven miles (11 kilometres) wide would be established, with its entrance and part of its exit passing through Iranian territorial waters.
“We agreed with Oman that the entry route to the Strait of Hormuz will pass through our territorial waters, while part of the exit route will also pass through our waters,” Gharibabadi said, according to Al Jazeera, which cited local media reports.
However, Gharibabadi stressed that the agreement should not be interpreted as a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. He said putting the agreed route into operation would involve shutting the southern passage that the United States had opened, allegedly following pressure from Oman.
According to the Iranian official, that move breached Article 5 of a memorandum of understanding between the two countries intended to bring an end to the conflict.
Gharibabadi said Iran’s armed forces had prepared the proposed route map, while talks on establishing a permanent transit arrangement would take place at a later stage.
