Tehran, Aug 18:
Iran said Monday it was working with Oman to finalise a joint statement on a plan to manage the transit of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, as the 60-day deadline for a US-Iran peace agreement expired without a deal.
Iranian Foreign Affairs spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said an understanding had been reached on the map of a transit route through the strategic waterway, which lies between Iran and Oman.
Under details that have emerged, ships would enter the strait through a route close to Iran and exit through one near Oman. They would also transit without paying fees or tolls during the interim period.
However, it remained unclear whether the proposed arrangement would meet US demands. Washington has sought an acceptable agreement on reopening the strait before ending its blockade of Iranian ports.
Iran effectively closed the waterway after Israel and the US attacked the country on February 28. Before the war, roughly one-fifth of the world’s traded oil supplies passed through the Strait of Hormuz.
Baghaei acknowledged that negotiations with Oman had progressed slowly but said Tehran still intended to finalise the arrangement as a package comprising the transit map and a joint statement.
Meanwhile, the 60-day deadline set for ending the US-Iran war and reaching an agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme expired with no indication of an extension or breakthrough between the two sides.