Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday that the Islamic Republic and Oman were “very close” to agreeing on a naval route through the Strait of Hormuz, but that reopening the choke point still depended on other conditions, one of them being U.S. compensation to Tehran.
The previous traffic arrangement stipulated in the Memorandum of Understanding between Washington and Tehran in June was no longer acceptable to Iran, Reuters cited Araghchi as saying.
A temporary alternative route is being finalized with Oman, the report added.
Oman is situated to the south of the strait.
A U.S. official cited on condition of anonymity said that the Trump administration was anticipating that Tehran and Muscat would agree on a framework “soon” so that oil could resume flowing through the waterway.
“Once the deal is announced to restore commercial shipping without impediments, the United States will lift the blockade of Iranian ports. As always, U.S. actions will continue to be performance-based and tied to Iran’s implementation of its commitments,” Reuters quoted the official as saying.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps spokesperson, Hossein Mohebbi, said on Saturday, “Whenever the United States accepts Iran’s conditions, the Strait of Hormuz will certainly be reopened,” the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News Agency reported.
On Wednesday, a senior Iranian source and two regional officials told Reuters that the Iranian-Omani deal would grant the Islamic Republic control over the vessels entering the strait, as Tehran seeks to level a fee on passing ships.
Iran’s sporadic attacks on commercial vessels in the waterway have disrupted global shipping and energy prices.
The United Arab Emirates’ flagship oil company reported on Saturday a fresh attack on one of its carriers, saying in a statement it was struck by a missile while passing through the waterway.
“ADNOC can confirm that one of its vessels was targeted by a missile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz in the early hours of Saturday, August 8. The incident resulted in no injuries, and the situation has been brought under control,” the company stated.
