Iran and Oman are close to an agreement on a temporary shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said.

However, he said the strategic waterway will not fully reopen until broader conditions, including US compliance with the Islamabad MoU, are met.

Araghchi said that negotiations with Oman on the legal framework and management of the waterway were nearing completion, with Iranian and Omani military and naval officials already holding talks based on existing maritime maps.

He said the previous traffic separation scheme was no longer acceptable to Iran and that a new route would need to be established.

Given the technical and legal complexities, the two sides are initially working on a temporary route that could eventually form the basis of a permanent arrangement.

Araghchi said the reopening of Hormuz remained contingent on the United States addressing what Tehran considers violations of the Islamabad MoU, under which Iran had agreed to restore maritime traffic to normal levels within a month.

According to Araghchi, shipping had reached about 60% of normal levels within two weeks of the agreement.

However, he accused Washington of attempting to establish alternative routes near Omani waters despite Iranian warnings, which Tehran viewed as interference in its management of the strait.

Iran subsequently reimposed restrictions on shipping, insisting that vessels must use routes designated under its arrangements.