Fada Hossein Maleki, a member o offf the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said the talks are being held bilaterally between Tehran and Muscat and are focused on the use and management of this strategic waterway.

The legislator said the United States is trying to join the process as a third party, although Iranian authorities insist that the negotiations are exclusively between Iran and Oman, as they are the two states bordering the strait. This position coincides with recent statements from the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

Maleki said the talks are close to an agreement and assured that Tehran intends to maintain its role in controlling and managing maritime traffic once the new mechanisms are implemented.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry announced this week that both countries are working on a joint declaration based on the main points agreed upon during negotiations.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, Kazem Gharibabadi, also confirmed that the agreement is nearing its final stage and specified that it will establish new procedures for the movement of commercial vessels. Iranian authorities clarified, however, that a potential agreement with Oman will not automatically entail a complete reopening of the strait under the same conditions that existed before the recent regional escalation.

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