Oman’s Foreign Minister to Visit Iran for Talks on Strait of Hormuz

Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi will travel to Iran on Tuesday as Tehran and Muscat continue discussions on regulating maritime traffic through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said on Monday that al-Busaidi’s visit would involve ongoing political consultations between Iran and Oman, both of which border the Strait of Hormuz, with the aim of promoting regional peace and security.

Baqaei said the visit would also focus on strengthening bilateral cooperation. During his trip, al-Busaidi is expected to meet Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to discuss bilateral ties as well as regional developments.

Iran has maintained control over passage through the Strait of Hormuz since the outbreak of the Middle East war on February 28. Ships seeking to transit the vital waterway are required to obtain permission and pay transit fees.

The United States has called for the strait to return to its pre-war system of unrestricted navigation. US President Donald Trump has also claimed that Washington has “total control” over the waterway, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil and LNG exports passed before the conflict.

Iran and Oman have been negotiating the creation of a new shipping route through the strait, which serves as the only maritime gateway to the Gulf and lies between the two countries. However, the discussions have yet to produce a final agreement.

Tehran maintains that even if an agreement is reached, it would not automatically result in the full reopening of the waterway. Iran says the United States must also address its wider demands, including lifting the blockade on Iranian ports.