Iran says US is undermining talks with Oman on Hormuz
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
- Iran said talks in Oman focused on ensuring safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz but failed due to US pressure.
- Tehran and Washington remain at odds over control and freedom of navigation in the strategic waterway.
Iran said Monday it sought an agreement to guarantee the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz but claimed the United States prevented a deal from being reached.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said talks held in Oman over the weekend focused only on establishing a mechanism for maritime traffic through the strategic waterway.
“Our effort was to reach a mechanism, in consultation with Oman, to ensure the safe passage of ships,” Baghaei said, adding that the effort “was not achieved due to the overt and covert pressures of the United States on Oman.”
Baghaei’s remarks came after a second consecutive night of US strikes across Iran, followed by Iranian retaliatory attacks targeting US military facilities in several Gulf countries.
He said Iran would not fulfill its commitments as long as Washington “continues to violate its commitments.”
“As a coastal state, Iran has both the right and the responsibility to take the necessary measures to safeguard our security and national interests,” Baghaei said.
He also criticized US claims about escorting commercial vessels, saying they were “evidence of Washington’s determination to perpetuate insecurity in the region.”
Iran has insisted it has a role in managing traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, while the United States has demanded unrestricted freedom of navigation and encouraged shipping companies to use routes closer to Oman’s coast.
Tensions escalated after an Indian container ship was hit by a drone off the coast of Oman over the weekend. Iran’s IRGC Navy said another vessel traveling through the Strait using an unapproved route was “struck” by a warning shot and stopped.
The incidents triggered renewed US strikes on Saturday and Sunday nights, further increasing tensions around one of the world’s most important maritime trade routes.
