Iran is seeking direct authority over inbound maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and monitoring oversight over outbound vessels, reserving the right to intervene if necessary, according to a senior Iranian source involved in discussions with Oman. The temporary framework aims to reopen the critical trade corridor, with proposed exit clearances managed by Oman following notification to Tehran. The Iranian official noted that this position represents a concession from Tehran’s original demand for total control over both shipping lanes, making further compromises unlikely.
The developments follow Iran’s rejection last month of an Omani proposal to split transit route administration equally, which Tehran argued did not resolve its immediate security priorities. Management of the 21-mile-wide choke point—which handles roughly 20% of global petroleum supplies along with major shipments of fertilizers and other essential commodities—remains a core friction point in resolving the regional conflict. The strategic route has been largely impassable since hostilities escalated in late February.
A primary diplomatic disagreement centers on a June memorandum of understanding. Washington contends that the pact mandated an immediate, unconditional reopening of the waterway, whereas Tehran maintains the agreement retained its sovereign authority over maritime traffic. Prior to the conflict, shipping moved unhindered through the strait under a 1968 International Maritime Organization separation scheme that divided transit lanes between Iranian and Omani territorial waters.
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