Iran is seeking greater control over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz under a temporary proposal being discussed with Oman to reopen the strategic waterway, according to a senior Iranian source familiar with the negotiations.
The source told Reuters that Tehran wants authority over inbound vessels entering the strait, while maintaining visibility over outbound traffic and the ability to intervene if necessary.
Under the proposal, outbound ships would travel along a route between Iran and Oman, with final clearance to exit granted by Omani authorities after notifying Iran.
The source described the arrangement as “the general idea currently being discussed” and said Tehran is unlikely to alter its position.
According to the source, Iran has already shown flexibility by dropping its earlier demand for full control over shipping in both directions through the strait.
Last month, Tehran rejected an Omani proposal to divide shipping routes equally between the two countries, arguing that it did not adequately address Iran’s security concerns until long-term regional stability is achieved.
Control of the Strait of Hormuz has become one of the biggest obstacles to ending the conflict between Iran, the United States and Israel.
The vital waterway, which connects the Gulf to the Indian Ocean, has been largely blocked since the conflict began in late February.
Washington maintains that the memorandum of understanding signed with Tehran in June to halt the conflict requires Iran to reopen the strait. However, Tehran argues the agreement preserves its authority over shipping passing through the waterway.
Before the conflict, commercial vessels moved freely through the strait, which lies within the territorial waters of both Iran and Oman but is widely recognised as an international shipping route.
A two-way traffic separation scheme established by the United Nations’ maritime agency in 1968 currently governs vessel movements through Iranian and Omani waters.
The Strait of Hormuz, approximately 34 kilometres wide at its narrowest point, carries about one-fifth of the world’s oil supplies as well as other essential goods, making it one of the world’s most strategically important maritime routes.
