Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi rejected Oman’s proposal for joint management of the Strait of Hormuz, saying on Iranian state television that it failed to address Tehran’s security concerns, according to IranWire. Oman had proposed splitting the shipping lane evenly, with half under Iranian control and half under Omani control; Tehran deemed this insufficient and submitted a counter-proposal for a single route running mainly through Iranian waters, with sections of both the inbound and outbound lanes under Iranian control. Gharibabadi added that Iran’s policy is to ensure the strait “never returns to its pre-war state,” and warned that any European warship approaching the waterway would be treated as a legitimate target. He also said Oman had proposed letting a third country handle mine-clearing operations in the strait’s southern section, a proposal Iran likewise rejected.
Oman’s Foreign Ministry, in a statement reported by Al Jazeera, confirmed that deputy-level talks took place between the two countries, with technical specialists from both sides presenting proposals still under review. The outlet reported Oman is now weighing a separate, three-lane alternative that would route traffic through Iranian territorial waters, an international lane, and Omani territorial waters, though Tehran’s reaction to that option remains unclear.
An earlier Iranian proposal, cited by RFE/RL, had Gharibabadi suggesting Tehran would manage shipping through its own side of the strait while Muscat handled only part, not all, of its side; Oman has not confirmed that such a proposal was made.
The rejection follows Iranian statements on July 27 that Tehran still controls the strait and is not seeking to resume peace talks with Washington, according to Reuters, two days after President Donald Trump ordered a halt to nearly two weeks of daily US strikes on Iran. The strait, which carried roughly a fifth of global oil shipments before the war, has been largely closed since fighting began in late February.
