"Iran said it was coordinating with Muscat over the future management of the strait of Hormuz, including Tehran's plans opposed by the US for fees to be paid by commercial shipping to a new Iranian government agency. The Omani exclave of Musandam lies to the south of the contested waterway, which normally carries a fifth of the world's seaborne oil traffic but has been blockaded for 10 weeks since since the US-Israeli attack on Iran in February."
"Speaking in India on Friday, the Iranian foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, defined the strait of Hormuz as an exclusively Omani-Iranian waterway. The strait is located in the territorial waters of Iran and Oman, he said. There is no international waters in between. Araghchi added that Iran was coordinating with Oman about the future management of the strait."
"Western diplomats say Iranian proposals for the future permanent management of the strait are unlawful since they impose tolls on commercial shipping and would give Iran an arbitrary right to select the ships that are allowed passage, possibly based on the nationality of ownership. A requirement that every ship set up a rial account to pay for services would also probably fall foul of UN sanctions prohibiting money being sent to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)."
"A rival plan based on the freedom of navigation being prepared by France and UK has also been put to Oman, and has the support of most Gulf states. British officials including the Foreign Office's"
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz is an exclusively Omani-Iranian waterway located in the territorial waters of Iran and Oman, with no international waters in between. Iran also says it is coordinating with Oman on future management, including plans for fees paid by commercial shipping to a new Iranian government agency and demands for details on ship nationality. The US rejects any permanent solution that involves paying a toll to Iran and claims Oman shares that view. The strait normally carries a fifth of the world’s seaborne oil traffic but has been blockaded for 10 weeks. Western diplomats call Iranian proposals unlawful because they impose tolls, allow arbitrary selection of ships, and may violate UN sanctions by routing payments through rial accounts linked to the IRGC. France and the UK are preparing a freedom-of-navigation plan supported by most Gulf states.
#strait-of-hormuz #iran-oman-relations #maritime-security #geopolitical-sanctions #freedom-of-navigation
Read at www.theguardian.com
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