Iran: Close to Agreement with Oman on Shipping Lane in Hormuz, but Strait Will Not Open

Iran and Oman are close to an agreement on a temporary shipping lane in the Strait of Hormuz, but Tehran clarifies it will not fully open the strait until the US meets its demands: compensation, lifting sanctions and blockade, releasing assets, and withdrawing forces. Foreign Minister Araghchi said the sides are 'very close' to an agreement. The arrangement would allow ships to enter and exit via separate lanes without fees. The US expressed cautious optimism, but the Revolutionary Guards condition full opening on receiving their terms.

Iran and Oman are moving closer to an agreement on a temporary shipping lane in the Strait of Hormuz, but Tehran clarifies it will not fully open the strait as long as the US does not meet its demands. This emerges from Reuters and AP reports over the weekend, cited in the article. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the two countries are 'very close' to agreeing on a new shipping lane, and that in the first stage a temporary lane will be discussed until legal and technical issues are resolved. According to sources familiar with the talks, the arrangement would allow ships to enter the Persian Gulf via a lane near Iran and exit via a lane near Oman, without transit fees during the interim period. However, Tehran emphasizes that an agreement with Oman alone will not open the strait. The secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr, presented conditions to Washington: cessation of threats, ending hostilities against Iran and its allies, lifting the naval blockade, lifting sanctions, releasing frozen assets, withdrawing American forces, and full compensation for war damages. The Revolutionary Guards also clarified that there is no direct link between the understandings and the opening of the strait. On the other hand, an American official expressed cautious optimism, saying the US expects an agreement that will allow the return of regular oil traffic, and subsequently the lifting of the blockade on Iranian ports. Traffic in the strait is still severely disrupted; before the war, about a fifth of the world's oil and gas shipments passed through it. Meanwhile, the UAE accused Iran of attacking an ADNOC vessel with a missile, with no casualties.