Oman has presented Iran with a proposal for a jointly governed regional mechanism to manage the Strait of Hormuz, offering a structure in which participating users pay voluntary fees, a Gulf source told Reuters on Tuesday. The draft proposal, which has backing from other regional actors, would ensure that Iran does not exercise exclusive authority over the strait, the source said.
The Omani plan takes inspiration from the model used in the Strait of Malacca. Under that model, the users of the waterway make voluntary contributions that are used to fund navigation services, environmental protection measures and search-and-rescue operations. Oman’s proposal applies those same funding principles to the Hormuz framework, according to the Gulf source.
The submission comes amid a pause in U.S. military action. The United States abruptly suspended a campaign of air strikes against Iran over the weekend, a move that has prompted some optimism for a diplomatic resolution that could permit shipping to resume in the Strait of Hormuz. Before the outbreak of the current conflict, the strait carried about a fifth of global energy supplies.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that the United States was having "good talks" with Iran and that there was a chance of a deal, while warning that strikes would resume if negotiations failed to produce an agreement.
Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araqchi, discussed the situation in the Strait of Hormuz with his counterparts from Oman and Saudi Arabia on Monday. According to a statement issued by Iran’s foreign ministry, Araqchi "emphasised the need to strengthen cooperation and advance joint diplomatic efforts to establish stability in the region, and lift the insecurity imposed on the Strait of Hormuz due to the aggressive actions of the United States."
The proposal from Muscat, its regional support and the recent temporary halt in U.S. strikes together frame a moment of heightened diplomatic activity focused on reopening the strategic waterway and reducing the security risks that have disrupted shipping flows.
Context and outlook
Oman’s initiative frames management of the strait around shared responsibilities and voluntary financial contributions to practical maritime services. The shape and acceptance of any final mechanism depend on further diplomatic engagements among Iran, regional states and external powers involved in the ongoing negotiations.