Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi arrived in Muscat on Saturday for talks with Omani officials on mechanisms to ensure the safe passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Tasnim news agency.
Araqchi has traveled to Oman as part of ongoing bilateral consultations on regional developments, particularly issues related to the Strait of Hormuz.
Ahead of the visit, Spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry Esmaeil Baqaei said the foreign ministers of Iran and Oman would discuss establishing appropriate mechanisms for the safe transit of ships through the Strait of Hormuz in accordance with Article 5 of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.
Providing details about the foreign minister’s trip, Baqaei said the visit follows consultations that Iran and Oman initiated over the past one to two months regarding the Strait of Hormuz.
He noted that the Strait of Hormuz was one of the key issues addressed in the memorandum of understanding that brought an end to the US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran.
Under the MoU, Iran assumed a clear responsibility for establishing normal arrangements and providing maritime services related to the passage of ships through the strategic waterway in coordination with Oman, Baqaei said, stressing that the Islamic Republic has been firmly committed to fulfilling those obligations.
According to the spokesman, the two countries had agreed to coordinate and consult closely on the matter.
Several rounds of technical meetings have already been held in both Tehran and Muscat, he said, adding that Araqchi’s visit is aimed at continuing those consultations and facilitating the safe passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.
