Oman Postpones Gulf Talks on New Hormuz Strait Route

(MENAFN) Oman has called off a regional meeting that had been scheduled for Monday in the southern city of Salalah, where officials were set to discuss arrangements for a new maritime route through the Strait of Hormuz.

The Omani Foreign Ministry announced late Sunday that the gathering would be rescheduled "to help create appropriate conditions for constructive dialogue." Officials said the move was intended to lay the groundwork for negotiations capable of producing lasting understandings that bolster regional security and stability, while addressing the region's shared desire for cooperation and peace.

Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi confirmed the delay in a post on X, writing: "In the interests of consensus, the regional meeting set for tomorrow in Salalah has been postponed."

He added: "We remain committed to fostering dialogue that supports stability and lasting cooperation in our region."

Albusaidi's post featured the flags of Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait — signaling which nations had been expected to attend. He gave no indication of a rescheduled date and offered no further explanation for the postponement.

The announcement followed Bahrain's rejection, a day earlier, of any role in a proposed ministerial-level meeting that would include Iran. The Bahraini Foreign Ministry stated Saturday that Manama would not join any collective ministerial session involving Tehran until diplomatic ties between the two nations are restored. The statement came in direct response to reports circulating about a planned ministerial meeting addressing developments in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Friday that Tehran intended to organize the talks, to be hosted by Oman, at the foreign minister level with participation from all eight countries bordering the Gulf.

Speaking to the London-based Arabic-language outlet Al-Araby Al-Jadeed on Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said: "the main, and indeed the only, agenda of this meeting is the new maritime route in the Strait of Hormuz."

Araghchi said Iran and Oman had already finalized an agreement outlining the new route, complete with maps and a joint statement detailing its terms. He emphasized, however, that the arrangement with Oman "by no means" signifies a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Bahrain is among several Gulf states that have found themselves in the crossfire of Iran's ongoing confrontation with the United States. Tehran has previously struck sites in Bahrain it described as linked to American forces — including Isa Air Base — in retaliation for US strikes on Iranian targets.

Tensions escalated in February when the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran, prompting Tehran to retaliate against Israeli and American military targets throughout the region. In June, Washington and Tehran signed the Islamabad Memorandum with mediation from Pakistan and Qatar, but implementation stalled over unresolved disputes concerning the Strait of Hormuz.

Fighting resumed in August when the US launched fresh military strikes on Iran, drawing renewed retaliation from Tehran against American military assets stationed across several Arab countries allied with Washington.

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