Iran announces an agreement with Oman on a maritime corridor in the Strait of Hormuz

Tehran claims to have reached an agreement with Oman on the geographical coordinates of a shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been partially blocked since the US-Israeli attack in late February. However, the spokesperson for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarified that the agreement is still "in its final stages."

Iran announced Wednesday that it had reached an agreement with Oman on a shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas typically transits. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei provided no technical details on the chosen route, stating only that the "geographic coordinates of the route" had been agreed upon with Muscat.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi clarified that the corridor would be temporary, open for a period of two to four months. No further information was provided regarding its specific implementation.

Baqaei, however, downplayed the significance of the announcement, stating that a bilateral agreement with Oman would not be sufficient to guarantee safe navigation in the Strait. He criticized the US naval blockade of Iranian ports, which he described as an "aggressive and threatening action." Neither Washington nor Muscat has publicly responded to this statement.

Since the US-Israeli attack on Iran in late February, Tehran has largely sealed off the Strait of Hormuz, requiring prior authorization for any ship wishing to transit it and attacking those that ignore this order. Global oil prices have experienced significant volatility since then.

On Tuesday, the American president Donald Trump had warned that Iran would be "hit very hard" if the strait did not reopen "very soon." US officials had previously indicated that discussions had progressed toward a possible resumption of transit as early as this week, a version Tehran denied, stating that it was not negotiating with Washington.

The question of a possible tax imposed by Iran on ships wishing to transit the Strait of Gibraltar remains one of the main points of contention between the two countries. Iranian officials did not specify on Wednesday whether this issue was on the agenda for discussions with Oman.

In June, Iran and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the fighting, reopening the Strait of Gibraltar, and reaching a peace agreement within sixty days. This agreement lasted only a few days before reciprocal attacks resumed. Furthermore, since July 20, the Yemeni Houthis, supported by Tehran, have imposed a blockade on Saudi ports in the Red Sea.