Iran Rejected Omani Proposal for Dividing Control of the Strait of Hormuz

Iran has rejected Oman's proposal for an equal division of control over shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz, a move that complicates the resumption of talks with the USA to end the war, as reported today, Wednesday, in The Wall Street Journal.

Mojtaba Khamenei, the third Supreme Leader in the history of the Islamic Republic | Photo: Tasnim News Agency, image edited in accordance with CC BY 4.0 license

Oman, located opposite Iran on the other side of the strait, proposed a temporary arrangement that would divide the shipping lanes equally between the two countries. However, Tehran demanded to receive the majority of control over the maritime passage, which is vital for global oil supplies.

Iran presented a counter-proposal, according to which the shipping lane in one direction would pass entirely through Iranian waters, and part of the lane in the opposite direction would also be under its control:

"The incoming shipping lane must be entirely under Iranian control, while part of the outgoing shipping lane can remain under Omani control. If they accept this proposal, we will move to the next stage," declared Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi on state television.

Meanwhile, a short lull in fighting between the USA and Iran since Friday led to the renewal of mediation efforts, which also included a proposal for a ten-day ceasefire. However, Iran's launch of ballistic missiles toward American forces in the Middle East on Tuesday evening made attempts to reach an agreement even more difficult.