Muscat: Oman and Iran have held high‑level talks at the deputy foreign minister level to discuss options for ensuring the smooth and safe transit of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, Oman’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement posted on X on Sunday.
The ministry wrote: “A meeting was held between the Sultanate of Oman and the Islamic Republic of Iran on Saturday, April 4, 2026, at the level of the undersecretaries of the foreign ministries of the two countries, attended by specialists from both sides.”
The statement added: “The meeting discussed possible options for ensuring the smooth flow of transit through the Strait of Hormuz amid the conditions currently prevailing in the region. During the meeting, experts from both sides presented a number of visions and proposals that will be studied.”
The discussions follow an earlier remark by an Iranian official that Tehran is drafting a protocol with Oman to jointly monitor and oversee traffic in the strategic waterway, through which around a fifth of the world’s seaborne oil trade passes, Reuters reported.
The Strait of Hormuz, which lies between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, connects key oil‑producing states with global markets and is considered one of the most critical maritime chokepoints in the world. The narrow passage links major exporters such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates with Asian, European and American consumers, giving it outsized influence on global energy prices and supply security.
This round of Oman–Iran talks comes against a backdrop of ongoing heightened regional tensions. Oman, which has long positioned itself as a neutral mediator, is seen as a pivotal actor in efforts to de‑escalate tensions and maintain the uninterrupted flow of energy through the Strait of Hormuz.
