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Iran, Oman Agree to Open Temporary Hormuz Transit Route
(MENAFN) Iran and Oman have struck a deal to open a temporary, seven-mile-wide transit corridor through the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi announced Tuesday — while insisting the move falls well short of reopening the strategically vital waterway.
Speaking on Iranian television, Gharibabadi said the route would enter through Iranian territorial waters, with a portion of the exit path also running through Iranian waters.
"The agreed-upon width of the transit route with Oman in the Strait of Hormuz is seven miles," Gharibabadi said, calling the arrangement temporary in nature.
He added that Iran and Oman plan further talks over the next 30 to 60 days to hammer out a permanent route and longer-term rules for managing passage through the strait.
Gharibabadi was firm that the deal with Oman should not be read as a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
"The Strait of Hormuz is closed, and we have complete control over it," he said, brushing aside claims that vessels were already transiting the waterway.
Activating the newly agreed joint route with Oman, he explained, would require closing the strait's traditional southern passage — and the two nations have agreed to launch technical talks on an alternative to that historic route. Gharibabadi framed the strait as a matter of national security for Iran, asserting Tehran's right to take whatever measures it deems necessary to safeguard its interests.
He also made clear that Iran does not trust Washington, stating that any resumption of diplomacy hinges on the United States first meeting its obligations under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.
"Before any action to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the US must fully implement all of its violated commitments," he said.
"The reopening of the Strait of Hormuz will only take place in exchange for an end to the war on all fronts, the lifting of the blockade, and a resolution of Yemen's status," he added.
According to Gharibabadi, Pakistani Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir delivered the same message to Iranian officials during a recent visit to Tehran, telling them that reopening the strait remains contingent on Washington honoring its commitments.
'No one except Iran knows the location of these mines'
Gharibabadi also pushed back hard against reports that US forces had cleared mines from the waterway or were readying minesweeping vessels for deployment to the region.
"If the United States claims that the mines have been completely cleared, why doesn't a US ship pass through?" he said. "If they have cleared them, why don't they pass? No one except Iran knows the location of these mines."
He cautioned that any US minesweeping vessels entering the area would be treated as targets.
"If US mine-sweepers enter the region, they will become targets for us," Gharibabadi said, adding that comments from US President Donald Trump on mine clearance were aimed merely at reassuring markets.
Trump had earlier claimed that all mines in the international waters of the Strait of Hormuz had been successfully removed or detonated.
"Iran has been notified that any ship or boat placing new mines will be immediately and systematically destroyed," he wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social.
Speaking on Iranian television, Gharibabadi said the route would enter through Iranian territorial waters, with a portion of the exit path also running through Iranian waters.
"The agreed-upon width of the transit route with Oman in the Strait of Hormuz is seven miles," Gharibabadi said, calling the arrangement temporary in nature.
He added that Iran and Oman plan further talks over the next 30 to 60 days to hammer out a permanent route and longer-term rules for managing passage through the strait.
Gharibabadi was firm that the deal with Oman should not be read as a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
"The Strait of Hormuz is closed, and we have complete control over it," he said, brushing aside claims that vessels were already transiting the waterway.
Activating the newly agreed joint route with Oman, he explained, would require closing the strait's traditional southern passage — and the two nations have agreed to launch technical talks on an alternative to that historic route. Gharibabadi framed the strait as a matter of national security for Iran, asserting Tehran's right to take whatever measures it deems necessary to safeguard its interests.
He also made clear that Iran does not trust Washington, stating that any resumption of diplomacy hinges on the United States first meeting its obligations under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.
"Before any action to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the US must fully implement all of its violated commitments," he said.
"The reopening of the Strait of Hormuz will only take place in exchange for an end to the war on all fronts, the lifting of the blockade, and a resolution of Yemen's status," he added.
According to Gharibabadi, Pakistani Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir delivered the same message to Iranian officials during a recent visit to Tehran, telling them that reopening the strait remains contingent on Washington honoring its commitments.
'No one except Iran knows the location of these mines'
Gharibabadi also pushed back hard against reports that US forces had cleared mines from the waterway or were readying minesweeping vessels for deployment to the region.
"If the United States claims that the mines have been completely cleared, why doesn't a US ship pass through?" he said. "If they have cleared them, why don't they pass? No one except Iran knows the location of these mines."
He cautioned that any US minesweeping vessels entering the area would be treated as targets.
"If US mine-sweepers enter the region, they will become targets for us," Gharibabadi said, adding that comments from US President Donald Trump on mine clearance were aimed merely at reassuring markets.
Trump had earlier claimed that all mines in the international waters of the Strait of Hormuz had been successfully removed or detonated.
"Iran has been notified that any ship or boat placing new mines will be immediately and systematically destroyed," he wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social.
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