The State of Qatar announced its rejection of any single party's control over the Strait of Hormuz and that it would not accept any Iranian tolls on navigation traffic.
This came in the words of Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman in an interview with the Financial Times newspaper in which he expected navigation to return to its "normal situation within 30 days" of the start of the implementation of the memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran, explaining that Qatar has received assurances from Tehran that the strait is still open and no decision has been issued to close it.
The Qatari official pointed out the importance of having a direct communication channel between Washington and Tehran to avoid any obstacles that may disrupt the reopening of the corridor or dealing with potential mines, considering that the line of communication through Switzerland is necessary to counter misinformation and that any future arrangements for the management of the strait must be made with the participation of Iran, Oman and the Gulf states.
His remarks came in conjunction with his visit to Muscat, after it announced the formation of a joint working group with Tehran to discuss the management of navigation and related services, where he said that "Qatar's gateway to the world "cannot be under the control of one party", reiterating his country's rejection of any Iranian plans to impose tariffs on ships.
Muscat: Temporary Shipping Corridor in the Strait of Hormuz
The Sultanate of Oman has announced the availability of a temporary passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz, in coordination with the International Maritime Organization.
In a statement reported by the Oman News Agency, the Sultanate said that it "worked in coordination with the International Maritime Organization to provide the option of using a temporary sea lane for all ships," explaining that it took this step "based on its responsibility towards the Strait of Hormuz and its importance to the global economy, and in accordance with its unwavering commitment to international law and the law of the sea to ensure freedom of navigation in the strait without imposing transit fees."
The decision also comes in line with "the results of the efforts and endeavors reached by the United States and Iran", it added, stressing that the temporary sea lane has been made available to all ships "in accordance with the coordinates announced by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the competent Omani authorities".
Ships wishing to transit through the temporary sea lane must "coordinate" with the International Maritime Organization, according to the same source.
Oman and Iran form a working group for dialogue on the administration of Hormuz
Oman and Iran agreed on Tuesday to form a joint working group to continue dialogue with a view to reaching an agreement on the future management of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and related services.
This came in a joint statement issued after talks in Muscat, during the visit of Iranian Consultative Assembly Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi to the Sultanate.
The statement said that the two sides agreed to continue dialogue through the joint working team between the foreign ministries of the two countries, including discussing the services that will be provided for navigation in the strait and the associated costs, in accordance with international standards.
They had also agreed to hold discussions with the littoral States of the region and other relevant parties on the issue.
Oman and Iran, as the littoral States of the Strait, reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring safe passage through the Strait in accordance with the provisions of international law, while stressing their sovereignty and sovereign rights over their territorial waters.
The two sides stressed that all arrangements related to the Strait of Hormuz must fully respect the sovereignty and sovereign rights of the two Strait states, while reaffirming their commitment to maintaining the Strait of Hormuz as a safe and open waterway for international navigation, as well as continuing cooperation to enhance maritime safety, freedom of navigation and regional stability.
Oman and Iran oversee both sides of the strait, which connects the Arabian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, while the safety of navigation in it has been a focus of regional and international attention over the past years due to security tensions in the region.
Trump threatens to impose US tolls in Hormuz
U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday threatened to impose U.S. tolls on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz if ongoing peace talks with Iran fail and no final agreement is reached.
He wrote on Truth Social that Washington would not charge any fees during the 60-day temporary ceasefire, but stressed that this option would be considered later "to offset the costs of U.S. services as a guardian angel protecting Middle Eastern countries."
Trump's threat came in conjunction with a round of high-level U.S.-Iranian talks in Switzerland aimed at drafting a final peace deal, while the U.S. escalation came after Iran announced its intention to implement its own maritime toll system to manage the corridor and the Revolutionary Guards hinted at the possibility of imposing restrictions on navigation.
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