AI Generated Image
No signed Hormuz deal expected yet from Oman meeting on Monday, Iranian official says
Reuters • • nation
Key Points:
- A meeting between Iran and Gulf states is scheduled for Monday in Oman to discuss regional issues, including the Strait of Hormuz, but no signed agreement on the strait is expected, according to a senior Iranian official.
- Iran has been negotiating with Oman, which controls the opposite bank of the strait, over a transit deal that would allow Iran to collect fees from ships passing through, a proposal Oman rejects.
- Oman initiated the meeting, which aims to provide a forum for broader regional discussions, though Bahrain has already announced it will not attend.
- The Strait of Hormuz is a critical chokepoint for global oil supplies, with about 20% of the world's oil transiting it before recent conflicts escalated tensions in the region.
- Recent attacks on tankers in the strait by the US and Iran, along with advances by Iran-aligned Houthi forces near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, have contributed to a surge in global oil prices.
