TEHRAN — Iran said on Saturday it was close to reaching an agreement with Oman on arrangements for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, but warned that the waterway would not reopen unless the United States made further concessions.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran and Oman were “very close” to an agreement on a temporary route through the strategic waterway, according to Iranian state media and Reuters. He said reopening the strait was subject to other conditions, including U.S. compensation for what Tehran says were violations of a June memorandum of understanding.
A senior Iranian security official, Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, said the United States must lift its naval blockade, withdraw military forces, end sanctions and compensate Iran for war damage before Tehran would reopen the strait, according to Iranian statements reported on Saturday.
The developments complicate efforts to restore shipping through the waterway, a major route for global energy supplies. Iran and Oman have been negotiating arrangements for managing maritime traffic, while Washington has opposed any system that would require ships to obtain Iranian permission or pay tolls.
Oman has described the talks as constructive, while the United States has said it wants unrestricted commercial navigation and has linked any easing of its blockade to Iranian compliance with commitments on the strait.
The status of the waterway remained unresolved on Saturday, with Iran saying an agreement with Oman was nearing completion but that it would not by itself guarantee reopening. Further details of any final arrangement were not immediately available.
