Even as tensions between the U.S. and Iran escalate again, diplomacy between Iran and Oman regarding the Strait of Hormuz continues, though the two sides have yet to reach an agreement.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi held separate telephone calls with his Omani and Saudi counterparts Badr Al-Busaidi and Faisal bin Farhan on Monday evening, reported Tasnim. They reviewed the latest bilateral and regional developments, and emphasized the necessity of strengthening cooperation and advancing joint diplomatic efforts to establish stability in the region. They also stressed the need for eliminating the insecurity imposed on the Strait of Hormuz, due to the aggressive actions of the United States.
Earlier, Reuters posted two separate wires reporting on competing plans for management of traffic through the strait, one by Oman and the other by Iran. “Under the Omani proposal, Iran would not exercise sole control and fees would be voluntary, a Gulf source and Western diplomat briefed on the matter told Reuters. The system would be analogous to one in place on Asia’s Strait of Malacca, where Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore ask ships to pay voluntary contributions to fund navigation, environmental protection and search-and-rescue operations.”
