Iran and Oman swap proposals to manage Strait of Hormuz: What we know

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that Iran has rejected an Omani proposal for shared supervision of the Strait of Hormuz and has put forward a counterplan that would give Tehran greater authority over traffic through the strategically important waterway. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on state television Tuesday that Oman’s suggested 50-50 arrangement did not meet Iran’s security concerns.

According to the report, Oman’s plan would divide oversight between the two coastal states, with Iran managing lanes on its side and Oman managing those near its coast. It also included voluntary payments by ships, similar to a system used in the Strait of Malacca to support safety and environmental functions. Gulf Cooperation Council foreign ministers also met Tuesday to discuss regional security, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said.

Iran’s counterproposal would place one shipping route fully inside Iranian territorial waters and part of another route under Iranian oversight, allowing Tehran to monitor both inbound and outbound movement. Gharibabadi warned the strait would remain closed if Oman rejects Iran’s plan and said shipping could not simply return to the prewar system of free passage. Al Jazeera also reported that Oman is considering another possible framework involving three routes: Iranian, international and Omani lanes.

The dispute matters because the Strait of Hormuz is a major corridor for Gulf oil and LNG exports. Al Jazeera said the strait was closed after US-Israeli attacks on Iran began in late February, and that a June 17 Iran-US memorandum calling for reopening left unresolved questions over control, routes, fees and mine clearance.