Iran and Oman have held the first meeting of their joint committee on the Strait of Hormuz, marking a new chapter in bilateral cooperation over the management of one of the world's most strategic maritime chokepoints.
In a post on X, Kazem Gharibabadi, deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs, said the meeting was held during his visit to Muscat with Abdulaziz Al-Hinai, ambassador-at-large at the Omani Foreign Ministry.
According to Gharibabadi, the discussions emphasized a governance framework that duly considers the rights and interests of all littoral states bordering the strategic waterway, within the framework of Article 5 of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.
“While reviewing current issues related to the strait, we exchanged views on the future management of the strait within the framework of Article 5 of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding and the sovereign rights of littoral states,” he said.
"The talks focused on cooperative management mechanisms that uphold the legitimate rights of the coastal nations while ensuring the strait remains a secure and stable passage," Gharibabadi added.
An excerpt of Article 5 of the MoU states that the Islamic Republic of Iran will conduct dialogue with the Sultanate of Oman to define the future administration and maritime services in the Strait of Hormuz, in discussion with other Gulf littoral states, in line with the applicable international law and the sovereign rights of littoral states of the Strait of Hormuz.
The development follows earlier high-level engagements between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Omani counterpart, Badr al-Busaidi. The two top diplomats had previously agreed to launch a bilateral dialogue aimed at defining the future of navigation services and administrative oversight in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran and Oman had earlier reached a consensus to establish the joint committee as part of their ongoing follow-up to the MoU.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi issued a firm warning on June 28 against any foreign involvement in the administration of the Strait of Hormuz, stating that unilateral intervention would delay the waterway's reopening and heighten regional tensions.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Baghdad alongside his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein, Araghchi affirmed that the Strait falls under Iranian administration and reiterated that normal operations would resume within 30 days under the framework of a bilateral memorandum with Oman, provided that existing obstacles are removed.
"Any intervention by any party other than Iran in administering the strait will delay its reopening and raise tensions in the region," Araghchi said, pointing to incidents over the past two nights as evidence of the risks posed by non-compliance.
The Iranian minister called on all parties to adhere to the memorandum's provisions and avoid diverting it from its intended course. He also stressed that the strategic relationship between Iran and Iraq remains a high priority, expressing determination to further strengthen bilateral ties.
Beyond the immediate Strait issue, Araghchi urged regional states to collectively reconsider Gulf security under a new framework that excludes extra-regional powers. "We must reach a new framework that includes all the countries of the region and excludes the presence or interference of any country from outside the region," he concluded.