"Agreement expected - soon": The American move regarding the emerging plan in the Strait of Hormuz
The emerging agreement between Tehran and Oman may restore shipping in the strait - but will grant Iran oversight and transit fees. Iran warned against "interference by third parties" - a clear hint at Washington - which rushed to offer a quid pro quo conditional on the implementation of the plan.
A senior American official told the Reuters news agency last night (between Friday and Saturday) that Iran and Oman are making significant progress toward an agreement regarding the collection of fees in the Strait of Hormuz. "There is progress between Oman and Iran regarding the strait, and we expect an agreement soon," the official stated.
Dangerous precedent: The new Hormuz plan that worries the USA
At the same time, the official clarified that the emerging agreement would have a direct impact on Washington's steps. "Once the agreement to restore commercial shipping without obstacles is announced, which will allow trade to continue without problems, the United States will lift the blockade on Iranian ports," he said.
"A step conditional on implementation on the ground"
However, he emphasized that the US would examine the moves with caution: "As we have always done, American steps will continue to be conditional on implementation on the ground and linked to the fulfillment of obligations by Iran."
The American report follows the words of Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei, who confirmed last Wednesday that Tehran and Oman had agreed on the "coordinates" of the new shipping route in the strait. According to him, a joint statement that will anchor the understandings is in the final stages of drafting.
According to reports, the proposed plan "unites" the two existing shipping lanes in the strait, the northern lane located in Iran's territorial waters and the southern lane in Omani waters, into a single two-way corridor. This arrangement grants Iran oversight authority over ships entering the Persian Gulf, in exchange for the reopening of the strait to global trade.
Alongside cautious optimism, Baghaei clarified that the publication of the agreement is conditional on "third parties not disrupting the process" - a clear hint at Washington.
On the other hand, while the US is willing to lift the blockade on the ports in exchange for regulating shipping, Washington is expressing concern about the legal and strategic precedent. Upon receiving the reports, American officials warned that the very recognition of Iranian state control over an international shipping route constitutes a worrying development.
