The Sultanate of Oman has informed European officials that it is impossible to return to the pre-war situation regarding the Strait of Hormuz, and may impose tariffs on transiting vessels, according to Bloomberg.
While Omani officials affirmed their full commitment to international maritime law, they noted that services related to clearing the strait or assisting ships in navigating it could be charged, according to the sources, who asked not to be identified due to the sensitivity of the issue. It is not yet clear whether Oman has announced all of these fees.
Omani Foreign Minister Badr Al Busaidi said during the Gulf-US joint meeting in Bahrain yesterday, stressing that future arrangements for the strait do not include the imposition of any "tolls" on ships, in compliance with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Iran asserts its right to control Hormuz
Iran on Friday (June 26th) reaffirmed its right to control maritime navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, warning Gulf states against siding with the United States, a day after an attack on a ship near Oman highlighted the fragility of the tentative agreement to end the war.
Tehran's response came in response to what it called the "irresponsible, provocative and interference joint statement" issued by the United States and six Gulf states, which rejected Iran's insistence on its right to impose tariffs on ships crossing the Strait.
The foreign ministers of the United States and the Gulf states on Thursday called for maintaining the momentum of negotiations with Iran to reach a final agreement that would prevent it from acquiring a nuclear weapon, and reiterated their rejection of any restrictions on navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
This came in a final statement issued after a joint meeting in the Bahraini capital, Manama, and included an affirmation that any trade or investment with Iran will be subject to the latter's commitment to the memorandum of understanding, reaching a final agreement with Washington and stopping what he described as its "destabilizing behavior."
The meeting was co-chaired by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his Bahraini counterpart Abdullatif Al-Zayani, Chairman of the current session of the Gulf Ministerial Council.
Tehran announces establishment of hotline with Washington over Strait of Hormuz
Tehran and Washington have set up a military hotline of communication with the aim of preventing military clashes in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran's Press TV network reported on Friday that the line was established between the two sides with the aim of avoiding incidents that could lead to conflict in the strait, and implementing the provisions of Article 5 of the "Islamabad Understanding."
The network explained that the establishment of the line came in light of the final statement following talks between Iran and the United States last week in Switzerland, with the participation of the mediators Pakistan and Qatar.
In addition , Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said in a post on the "X" platform that "safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz cannot be guaranteed in light of unclear arrangements, parallel tracks or decision-making processes that ignore Iran's role as a littoral state," warning against suspending other routes in the event of lack of coordination with Tehran.
In this context, Iranian television said in a report from the Strait of Hormuz on Friday (June 26th) that "the only law governing the strait is Iranian law and the law of the Revolutionary Guard Navy," adding that the IRGC Navy announced that the crossing of the strait is subject to coordination with it and that it prevented three foreign oil tankers from crossing after they tried to pass through the southern corridor of the strait outside the designated Iranian route.
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