TEHRAN-(MaraviPost)-Iran says it is close to an agreement with Oman on a temporary route through the Strait of Hormuz, but has warned that the waterway will not be fully reopened unless the US meets a number of demands.
The Washington Post reported on Saturday that Iranian officials said the proposed arrangement would allow ships to navigate the strait, but would not amount to its formal reopening.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the talks with Oman had made significant progress.
But he said Tehran was seeking further commitments from Washington, including compensation for what Iran describes as damage caused during the recent conflict.
The Strait of Hormuz is a key international shipping route between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
Before the war, about a fifth of the world’s oil and gas supplies passed through the strait. Disruption to shipping has since contributed to higher energy and commodity prices.
Iran closed or restricted access to the waterway after the conflict with the US and Israel began.
A June agreement called for the strait to be reopened and for Iran and Oman to discuss arrangements for its future administration.
However, the two sides remain divided over who should control passage through the waterway.
Iran has argued that it should have a role in managing shipping and has said it could impose transit charges.
Washington has rejected that position. A US official told the Washington Post that the strait was an international waterway and that ships should not have to obtain permission or pay fees to pass through it.
Iranian security official Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr said Tehran also wanted US forces to leave the region, sanctions to be lifted and Iranian assets held abroad to be released.
He also called for an end to US attacks on Iranian-backed armed groups in the region.
The competing demands mean that, despite progress in the Oman talks, there is still no clear agreement on when unrestricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz will resume.
The waterway’s status is being closely watched internationally because of its importance to global energy markets.
Any prolonged restrictions could affect oil and gas supplies and add to pressure on prices at a time when higher living costs are already a political issue in the US.
