An agreement had been reached with Oman over shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian Revolutionary Guards spokesperson Hossein Mohabi said Wednesday. He said the United States was responsible for delaying negotiations between the countries and warned that if Washington does not accept Tehran’s terms, the strait will remain closed.
“If the United States does not accept our conditions, the Strait of Hormuz will not open,” Mohabi said. He added: “The Strait of Hormuz is under our control, and there are no enemy warships in the Gulf. All hostile warships are at least 400 kilometers from the Strait of Hormuz. From a military and regional perspective, no vessel can cross this waterway without Iran’s permission and management.
Ships in the Strait of Hormuz in the Oman region May 25
(Photo: Reuters/Stringer)
“Disagreements on political issues are natural, but we must preserve our unity in the face of the enemy,” he continued. “If the U.S. stops creating obstacles and returns to the memorandum of understanding, we can open the Strait of Hormuz. The maritime corridor near Oman is under our full control. We have reached an agreement with Oman regarding our share of the waters of Hormuz and the division of its revenues.”
The New York Times reported three weeks ago that Iran and Oman were nearing an agreement under which the Strait of Hormuz would reopen to shipping without U.S. involvement. According to the report, the agreement is expected to come at a heavy price: The international waterway would no longer be open to all and would instead be controlled by Tehran and Muscat.
Sources familiar with the emerging agreement told the U.S. newspaper at the time that traffic through the strait would operate as follows: Vessels entering the Gulf through the strait would use the northern route, closer to the Iranian coast. Vessels leaving the Gulf would use the southern route, closer to Oman.