Oman and Iran have agreed on a phased framework to establish a temporary joint shipping corridor through the Strait of Hormuz and launch a joint project to clear the waterway of mines, according to a joint statement released on Tuesday.
The bilateral announcement comes as US President Donald Trump stated that the US Navy informed him it had already removed and detonated all mines planted in the international waters of the strait. In a post on the Truth Social platform, Trump warned that any ship or boat laying new explosives will be “destroyed immediately and systematically,” adding that a “zero-tolerance policy” for mine-laying is fully in effect. The US president further noted that the US Space Force is monitoring every inch of the strait, alongside “Jabal al-Fas” and three other nuclear sites “that have already been destroyed.”
The Omani-Iranian joint statement followed a “working visit” to Tehran by Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi, where he held “constructive consultations” with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi. The diplomatic talks focused on resuming safe navigation while safeguarding the sovereignty and sovereign rights of both nations in light of the current situation resulting from the recent war and its tragic repercussions.
In a separate post on the X platform, Albusaidi expressed optimism about soon announcing the temporary corridor and practical arrangements for restoring safe passage. He stated that the future management of the strait and a permanent solution will come in due time, in accordance with Article 5 of the Islamabad Memorandum. The Omani foreign minister added that discussions with regional partners will follow in support of peace, cooperation, stability, and freedom of navigation.
Technical negotiations between Muscat and Tehran are set to continue to reach a final agreement on a permanent shipping corridor and future management arrangements. The joint statement detailed that these talks will also seek to establish an information exchange mechanism, manage navigation traffic, and provide related maritime and security services. Both sides stressed the importance of joint discussions with Gulf coastal states and strict adherence to international law.
As regional maritime security measures advance, the United States is preparing to return diplomats to embassies across the Middle East after they were evacuated before and during the war with Iran, the New York Times reported, citing an internal State Department document. The report indicated that the return of diplomatic staff and the scaling back of emergency measures could begin this week at missions in Israel, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Oman, Iraq, and Kuwait.
Responding to the report, a US State Department spokesperson told Reuters in an emailed statement that the department continuously reviews the security posture of its diplomatic missions worldwide and is adjusting staffing levels at certain Middle East locations following its latest assessment. The spokesperson added that staffing decisions are based on changing security conditions, keeping the safety of personnel and their families as the top priority while continuing to achieve US foreign policy goals.
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