TEHRAN: Deputy Foreign Minister of Iran Kazem Gharibabadi told state TV on Wednesday that Tehran rejected Oman’s proposal to split transit routes equally between the two countries. Instead, he said, Tehran proposed managing shipping on its side of the strait, while Muscat would manage part but not all of the opposite lane.
“Oman proposed to us the creation of a route in the Strait of Hormuz, with 50% of it located in our territorial waters and 50% in Omani territorial waters. The route for ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz could involve entering through our waters and exiting through Omani territorial waters,” he said.
“Our proposal to Oman is that part of the transit route in the Strait of Hormuz be within our territorial waters, and that the part of the route passing through Omani waters also be under our control.”
Gharibabadi said the strait will remain closed if Oman rejects the plan.
EU’s Kallas raises regional tensions in call with Iran’s Araghchi
The European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas said she discussed the situation in the Gulf as well as Iran’s support for Russia in a phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, according to Al Jazeera.
“In the Gulf, the reprieve from fighting can buy mediators time to find a way back to diplomacy and prevent a return to full-scale war,” Kallas said in a post on X.
Deputy Foreign Minister of Iran Kazem Gharibabadi told state TV on Wednesday that Tehran rejected Oman’s proposal to split transit routes equally between the two countries. Instead, he said, Tehran proposed managing shipping on its side of the strait, while Muscat would manage part but not all of the opposite lane.
“Oman proposed to us the creation of a route in the Strait of Hormuz, with 50% of it located in our territorial waters and 50% in Omani territorial waters. The route for ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz could involve entering through our waters and exiting through Omani territorial waters,” he said.
“Our proposal to Oman is that part of the transit route in the Strait of Hormuz be within our territorial waters, and that the part of the route passing through Omani waters also be under our control.”
Gharibabadi said the strait will remain closed if Oman rejects the plan.
EU’s Kallas raises regional tensions in call with Iran’s Araghchi
The European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas said she discussed the situation in the Gulf as well as Iran’s support for Russia in a phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, according to Al Jazeera.
“In the Gulf, the reprieve from fighting can buy mediators time to find a way back to diplomacy and prevent a return to full-scale war,” Kallas said in a post on X.
Kallas also condemned the brief detention of two French diplomats in Iran, calling it an “unacceptable” act of “aggression”. She also addressed Iran’s support for Moscow, saying she reiterated her call “on Iran to end its military support for Russia”.
She added that it was “encouraging” that Araghchi spoke to his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha to reduce tensions following a deadly Ukrainian attack on an Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea.
Saudi, Gulf foreign ministers discuss de-escalation, condemn Iran-linked attacks
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud received phone calls from his counterparts in Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain, during which the diplomats “stressed the importance of continuing efforts to de-escalate tensions”, according to his office.
Al Jazeera reported that Prince Faisal spoke with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, and Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani.
The ministers stressed the importance of safeguarding “freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait” to help mitigate the security and economic fallout of the crisis.
They also condemned attacks by Iran and “its affiliated militias in Iraq and Yemen”, and emphasised continued coordination and stronger joint action through the Gulf Cooperation Council.
US says it intercepted Iranian ballistic missiles launched towards US forces in Middle East
The US military said on Tuesday it intercepted multiple ballistic missiles launched by Iran towards US forces in the Middle East in what Washington cast as “an attempted surprise attack” by Tehran.
The statement by the US Central Command did not mention the exact location it said Iran attempted to target.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards later said they fired several ballistic missiles at a US air base and a US military Central Command centre in Jordan, in what they described as a response to US actions against Iranian interests.
Axios reported earlier, citing a US official, that Iran had launched ballistic missiles towards a US base in Jordan and the missiles were intercepted.
“Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces launched multiple ballistic missiles from Iran in an attempted surprise attack on US forces based in the Middle East. All Iranian missiles were successfully intercepted,” the Central Command said on X.
US President Donald Trump, who abruptly called off a two-week US bombing campaign on Iran over the weekend, has said there were “good talks” underway with Tehran but threatened to restart strikes unless negotiations delivered. Iran has denied seeking to resume talks with Washington.