RIYADH — Oman has delivered a proposal to Iran calling for a joint regional framework to govern the Strait of Hormuz, including a voluntary fee system for ships using the waterway, according to a Gulf source who spoke with Reuters on Tuesday.
The plan, which carries backing from other nations in the region, would ensure that Iran does not hold unilateral control over the strategically vital strait, the source said.
The proposal is modeled after the arrangement in place at the Strait of Malacca, where vessels that pass through voluntarily contribute funds toward navigation safety, environmental protection, and search-and-rescue operations.
The diplomatic push comes after the United States abruptly halted its air strike campaign against Iran over the weekend, sparking hopes that a negotiated solution could restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Before the conflict, the waterway handled roughly one-fifth of the world’s energy supply.
President Donald Trump said Monday that the U.S. was engaged in “good talks” with Iran and that a deal was possible, though he cautioned that military strikes would resume if negotiations broke down.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met with his counterparts from Oman and Saudi Arabia on Monday to discuss the situation in the strait.
Iran’s foreign ministry released a statement saying Araqchi “emphasised the need to strengthen cooperation and advance joint diplomatic efforts to establish stability in the region, and lift the insecurity imposed on the Strait of Hormuz due to the aggressive actions of the United States.”
