Iran and Oman have agreed on a temporary shipping corridor through the Strait of Hormuz to allow commercial vessels to transit the strategic waterway, as Tehran dismissed U.S. claims that mines had been cleared and warned that the strait could remain closed unless its conditions are met.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi said the understanding with Oman would allow inbound commercial vessels to use Iranian waters, while outbound ships would pass through both Iranian and Omani waters.
Military vessels will not be permitted to use the corridor, he said, adding that the arrangement does not amount to an immediate full reopening of the strait.
According to Gharibabadi, the temporary route will remain in place while Iran and Oman negotiate a permanent arrangement within 30 to 60 days.
He warned that the waterway would remain closed if Iran’s conditions are not fulfilled.
Gharibabadi also rejected U.S. claims that mines had been removed or detonated in international waters of the Strait of Hormuz, describing the assertions as propaganda.
He warned that any U.S. minesweepers entering the area would be targeted.
The comments came after U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that all mines in the international waters of the strait had either been removed or detonated.
Trump also warned that any vessel laying new mines would be destroyed, saying a zero-tolerance policy on mine placement was in effect.
The temporary corridor formed part of a broader phased framework discussed by Iran and Oman, according to a joint statement from their foreign ministries.
The two countries also agreed to pursue a joint project to clear mines from the waterway.
The agreement followed a visit to Tehran by Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, who met Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important energy and shipping chokepoints, linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.
The latest agreement could provide limited relief for commercial shipping while leaving major questions over security, military access and the possibility of a full reopening unresolved.
For now, Iran maintains that the strait’s reopening depends on the implementation of its conditions and the outcome of negotiations over a permanent shipping route. – Africa News.
