Oman proposes new mechanism for joint management of Strait of Hormuz
A Gulf source disclosed on the 28th that Oman proposed to Iran a regional mechanism to jointly manage shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, and ships passing through the strait could contribute on a voluntary basis. At present, neither Omani nor Iranian officials have confirmed the news. The source, who did not want to be named, said that the new mechanism refers to the management methods of the Malacca Strait, and users voluntarily donate to relevant funds for maintaining the waterway for environmental protection and search and rescue work. Oman’s latest proposal has received support from some regional countries. It is unclear how Iran will respond to this proposal.
A Gulf source disclosed on the 28th that Oman proposed to Iran a regional mechanism to jointly manage shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, and ships passing through the strait could contribute on a voluntary basis. At present, neither Omani nor Iranian officials have confirmed the news. The source, who did not want to be named, said that the new mechanism refers to the management methods of the Malacca Strait, and users voluntarily donate to relevant funds for maintaining the waterway for environmental protection and search and rescue work. Oman’s latest proposal has received support from some regional countries. It is unclear how Iran will respond to this proposal. Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi had separate phone calls with the foreign ministers of Oman and Saudi Arabia on the 27th to discuss the Strait of Hormuz. According to a statement issued by Iran's Foreign Ministry, Araghchi emphasized "the need to strengthen cooperation" during the call. The Omani diplomatic delegation arrived in Tehran, the capital of Iran, on the 24th. It is reported that Oman’s visit is aimed at establishing an appropriate mechanism for shipping management in the Strait of Hormuz. According to Iranian news on the 26th, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Bagaei said that Iran and Oman discussed common principles and operating mechanisms for managing safe shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, and the talks were "productive and made some progress." He said that the Omani delegation had left Tehran on the 25th, but technical and political consultations between the two sides would continue. Data from Kepler, an international market service organization, show that despite the suspension of attacks by the United States and Iran on each other, the daily cargo ship traffic in the Strait of Hormuz was in single digits from the 24th to the 26th. According to informed Iranian officials, in the early morning of the 27th, six ships with their navigation and positioning systems turned off tried to sail through an "illegal and unsafe" channel in the southern Strait of Hormuz. One of them had an accident, and the remaining ships were "guided" back to the Persian Gulf.