Iran and Oman have proposed a temporary shipping lane through the Strait of Hormuz, aiming to restore some maritime traffic amid ongoing tensions. The plan involves establishing a joint navigational corridor and clearing mines from the area, according to regional officials. This move comes after weeks of discussions between the two countries following the start of conflict in February. The Strait of Hormuz has been largely closed since hostilities began, with much of the shipping halted due to threats and strikes.
Iran’s deputy foreign minister said that a yet-to-be-finalized deal would involve closing a UN-authorized shipping route along Oman’s coast, according to CNN. The new US sanctions campaign, called Operation Economic Outcast, targets aviation, shipping, technology, gold and digital assets like cryptocurrency. Washington is also threatening penalties against countries that continue economic ties with Iran.
China has responded by saying the new measures will only increase tensions and that cooperation with Iran should not be disrupted. Iran claims it is fully prepared to resist these sanctions, while also expanding its defense capabilities after military damage from earlier strikes.
Iranian officials have said that the US economic pressure will not succeed, despite the recent actions by Washington. The US Treasury Department has described its campaign as an effort to sever all economic lifelines supporting Iran’s government.
Some experts believe the new sanctions may not have much impact due to years of previous penalties that have already limited Iran’s economic options. Iran and Oman are working together on technical details related to the shipping routes through the strait, according to a report from Firstpost. The entry route into the Persian Gulf would go through Iranian waters, while the exit route would pass through Omani territorial waters.
Iranian military officials have said that the plan was discussed with Oman and agreed upon by armed forces representatives. The US has announced new sanctions as part of its broader economic strategy to isolate Iran, RTE reported.
Despite these threats, oil prices have fallen for two days, indicating that markets are not reacting strongly to the latest actions. Iran has called the US efforts to isolate its economy an act of gross lawlessness and expressed confidence that many countries will not join in.
The war between the US and Iran has led to thousands of deaths, with much of Iran’s military capacity degraded by strikes. Iran’s nuclear program remains a point of contention, though its exact status is unclear.
The situation in the Strait of Hormuz continues to be dangerous, even though active hostilities have largely ended. An oil tanker was recently disabled by an unidentified projectile near Oman’s Ash Shishah, close to the strait’s entrance.
Iran and Oman are exploring ways to safely reopen shipping lanes while navigating diplomatic and military challenges.
IMAGE: تمرین مشترک امداد و نجات دریایی با مشارکت نیروی دریایی ارتش و سپاه پاسداران، سازمان بنادر و دریانوردی، دریابانی نیروی انتظامی و حضور نیروی دریایی ارتش عمان، با حضور سردارسرتیپ پاسدار قدیر نظامی (معاون بین‌المللی ستاد کل نیروهای مسلح) و سرتیپ سعید البلوشی (معاون رئیس ستاد ارتش سلطنتی عمان) و جمعی از فرماندهان نظامی دو کشو عصر چهارشنبه ۱۹ اردیبهشت ۱۳۹۷ در آب‌های نیلگون خلیج‌فارس برگزارشد و یگان‌های دریایی عملیات مشترک امداد ونجات را با فرماندهی ناوشکن جماران تمرین کردند.. Photo: Alireza Bahari / Wikimedia, taken 2018-05-09, CC BY 4.0
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