Araghchi travels to Oman for talks on Strait of Hormuz

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected in Oman on Saturday for talks focused on the Strait of Hormuz and maritime security, his spokesperson announced.

The visit ‘’will mainly focus on the Strait of Hormuz and maritime security’’ and ‘’is a continuation of the consultations we have begun with Oman over the past month or two,’’ Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghai said, according to remarks carried by Iran’s official IRNA news agency.

Despite the June 17 agreement between the United States and Iran to end the war triggered in late February by U.S.-Israeli attacks, the status of the Strait of Hormuz remains a major point of contention. Iran has used the conflict to assert control over the strategic waterway, a vital route for global hydrocarbon exports, and refuses to restore the previous navigation arrangements. Tehran seeks to impose transit fees on ships and only permits vessels to use a route along its northern coastline. Ships sailing farther south, off Oman’s coast, have recently come under attack, fueling renewed tensions with the United States. In May, U.S. President Donald Trump unexpectedly threatened to ‘’pulverize’’ Oman if it continued discussions with Tehran over the joint management of the strait.

’’Several rounds of technical meetings have taken place so far, both in Tehran and Muscat, and this trip is a continuation of those consultations aimed at facilitating safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz,’’ Baghai added.