Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on August 16 that Tehran and Muscat were working to establish a temporary maritime route through the Strait of Hormuz, while stressing that the talks were separate from any decision on reopening the strategic waterway.“The routes that existed previously are no longer functional, so a new route needs to be defined,” Araghchi said.“For now, we are designing a temporary route, which can then, at a later stage, be turned into a final route.”
According to the Middle East Eye, Araghchi said negotiations with Oman were continuing over maritime routes for ships passing through the strait.“We may reach an outcome soon, but I want to emphasise that these negotiations and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz are two separate issues,” he said.
“Once this route has been determined, whether the strait will be reopened or not will depend on the fulfilment of other conditions to which the United States must adhere.”The development comes after US President Donald Trump said he would designate the Strait of Hormuz a territory ‘pretty soon’.
Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, responded: “The Strait of Hormuz cannot be seized by tweet, nor by aircraft carrier, nor by issuing an order, nor by an election speech.”
“The Strait of Hormuz has been Iranian, is Iranian, and will remain Iranian; this strait will only be closed and opened under Iran’s command,” Gharibabadi said in a post on X.