Iran, Oman agree on safe shipping corridor in Hormuz

Iran and Oman have agreed to establish a safe shipping corridor for vessels entering and leaving the strategic Strait of Hormuz, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Wednesday (October 7).

He said the details of the routes would be shared with international maritime authorities once the corridors are established.

The agreement is part of a phased framework aimed at restoring normal shipping conditions in the strategic waterway. The two countries had earlier agreed to work on a temporary route, including mine clearance, traffic management and information sharing.

However, the agreement does not mean the Strait of Hormuz has been fully reopened or that commercial vessels have been given an unconditional guarantee of safe passage.

On August 26, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the proposed temporary route would be seven miles wide, with parts of its entry and exit routes passing through Iranian territorial waters.

IRGC warns of route closures

On October 7, Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Naqdi, a senior adviser to the IRGC commander-in-chief, warned that shipping routes Tehran considers “illegal” would soon be closed.

He specifically referred to an alternative route along the Omani coast.

Naqdi said the Strait of Hormuz would remain under the IRGC’s control until Iran’s geopolitical demands are met.

-EM/AJM