Iran, Oman discuss temporary shipping lane through Strait of Hormuz 

Iran and Oman’s top diplomats have discussed a proposed framework for a temporary transit corridor through the Strait of Hormuz and a mine-clearing project in the key waterway, which they both border.

Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi arrived in Tehran on Tuesday for talks with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, to discuss future plans for the strait.

The two “discussed a phased framework that could provide a practical and implementable basis for moving forward”, they said in a joint statement shared by Oman.

The strait became a flashpoint early in the Middle East war, and the two countries have recently sought to hammer out a plan to regulate transit through it, as laid out in a June US-Iran memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the war.

“The proposed framework includes the establishment of a temporary joint navigation corridor through the Strait of Hormuz and an agreement to implement a joint project to clear the Strait of mines,” the statement said.

“Technical negotiations between the two sides will also continue with the aim of reaching an agreement on a permanent navigation corridor and future arrangements for managing the Strait, alongside establishing a mechanism for exchanging information, managing navigation traffic, and providing related navigational and security services,” it added.

Albusaidi said in a post on X after the meeting that he hoped the countries would “soon announce” the temporary corridor in the strait.

“Future management of the strait and a permanent solution will follow in due course,” he said.

During their meeting, the two ministers also stressed the importance of reaching arrangements that respect the sovereignty of their respective countries, according to the joint statement.

The diplomats “affirmed the importance of holding joint discussions with the Gulf littoral [coastal] states” to ensure that any agreement reached adheres to international law and respects the sovereignty of neighbouring countries.

The statement came after US President Donald Trump said on his social platform Truth Social that “all mines have been removed and/or detonated from within the International Waters of the Strait of Hormuz”, citing the US navy.

“Iran has been notified that any ship or boat placing new mines will be immediately and systematically destroyed,” Trump added.

War broke out after the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, with Tehran quickly blockading the Strait of Hormuz and Washington imposing a naval counter-blockade on Iranian ports.

Traffic remains largely paralysed, disrupting global oil markets in a crucial waterway that normally carries around one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas exports.

Iran and Oman, both coastal nations on the strait, have for weeks been discussing the future of navigation through the waterway, with Tehran saying the geographical coordinates of a route envisaged by the two countries “have been agreed upon”.

Iranian officials, however, have insisted that the strait will not fully reopen until the US meets Tehran’s demands, including lifting its naval blockade, dropping oil sanctions and unfreezing its assets abroad.