Baqaei said on Sunday that the talks took place in Muscat on Saturday during a meeting between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Omani counterpart, Badr bin Hamad Al Albusaidi. The discussions focused on coordinating arrangements for managing maritime traffic and shipping in the strategic waterway, where both countries share coastal responsibilities, he added.
Baqaei noted that legal and technical delegations from both sides also participated in the negotiations, examining ways to safeguard maritime security while respecting the sovereign rights of the two littoral states, applicable international law, and the provisions of Article 5 of the Islamabad memorandum of understanding (MoU).
He said Iran maintains that any future framework governing navigation in the Strait of Hormuz should be developed through consultation between the two coastal states and should take into account developments in recent months, including the consequences of the US–Israeli aggression against Iran and its impact on maritime security in the waterway.
The spokesperson announced that Tehran and Muscat had agreed to continue negotiations at both the political and technical-legal levels in an effort to reach a shared understanding on maintaining safe and secure shipping through the strait.
Baqaei also noted that representatives of the Qatari government attended part of the discussions. Qatar has played a mediating role in recent months in indirect negotiations between Iran and the United States.
It is worth noting that Araghchi traveled to Muscat on Saturday to meet with Omani officials to discuss the Strait of Hormuz, regional developments, and bilateral relations.
