Iran and Oman have held several rounds of technical talks in Tehran on arrangements for safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, with Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei describing the discussions as useful and forward-looking.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Baqaei said the talks were held on the two previous days at the level of deputy foreign ministers, during which the two sides exchanged views on common principles and practical mechanisms for ensuring safe maritime traffic through the strategic waterway while respecting the sovereign rights of the two littoral states.
Baqaei stressed that the talks had been useful and that progress had been made, adding that the Omani delegation left Tehran on Saturday afternoon. Still, technical and political consultations between the two countries would continue.
Asked about the current situation regarding navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, the spokesperson said there had been no change in the status of maritime traffic in the waterway.
The latest consultations come amid heightened tensions in the region following renewed US terror attacks against Iran and the ensuing confrontation over maritime security in and around the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has repeatedly stressed that arrangements for navigation in the waterway must respect its sovereignty and security interests. This is while the United States has also moved to impose a naval blockade against Iran.
