Iran and Oman plan temporary corridor through the Strait of Hormuz
Oman's foreign minister said he was hopeful about a route through a waterway blockaded for nearly six months.
Iran has held new talks with Oman on the management of the Strait of Hormuz, blockaded through nearly six months of conflict, with Oman's foreign minister expressing hope that a temporary corridor could be established.
An Iranian deputy foreign minister said the route's entry and part of its exit would run through Iranian territorial waters, a detail with direct consequences for how vessels would be cleared and for the assurances insurers would require.
Oman's role reflects a long-standing position. Muscat has maintained working relations with Tehran through periods when other Gulf capitals did not, and has repeatedly served as an intermediary in regional files. It also shares control of the strait: the Musandam peninsula, Omani territory, forms its southern shore, giving Oman standing to negotiate on transit arrangements that is geographic as well as diplomatic.
Muscat has maintained working relations with Tehran through periods when other Gulf capitals did not, and has repeatedly served as an intermediary in regional files.
The arrangement described is explicitly temporary, which suits both parties. It allows movement to resume without either side conceding a position on the underlying dispute, and it can be withdrawn.
Saudi Arabia has stressed the need to keep vital waterways secure and threat-free, a position it reiterated with France in Paris this week, where the two governments called for restoration of navigation to its state before 28 February 2026.
Based on reporting by Middle East Eye.
