Iran Working With Oman on Strait of Hormuz Navigation Framework

TEHRAN, Aug 1 — Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has confirmed that Tehran is working closely with Oman to establish operational mechanisms for managing maritime navigation through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian state broadcaster IRIB.

Araghchi made the remarks during a telephone conversation with United Kingdom Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, in which both officials discussed pressuring regional developments, international security concerns, and bilateral diplomatic ties.

Citing IRIB, Anadolu Agency reported that Araghchi reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to finalizing operational frameworks with Muscat to regulate maritime traffic through the critical oil transit choke point along its coastline.

The Iranian top diplomat cautioned external powers against interfering in the bilateral negotiations, warning that third-party intervention would exacerbate existing regional tensions.

“Interference by third parties in the process would only complicate the current situation,” Araghchi warned during the call.

In his discussions with Miliband, Araghchi also criticized Britain’s diplomatic alignment, condemning what he described as UK complicity in military conflicts targeting Iran alongside the United States and Israel.

“Britain’s complicity in the wars imposed on Iran is unjustifiable and condemnable,” Araghchi said, urging the British government to reconsider its current foreign policy stance.

Responding to the allegations, UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband clarified London’s position, asserting that the British administration is not seeking direct military confrontation with Tehran.

“Britain’s new government is not a party to a war with Iran,” Miliband said, emphasizing that diplomacy remains the primary path toward resolving outstanding disputes and reducing broader Middle Eastern volatility.

Miliband further underscored the critical need for sustained diplomatic dialogue between London and Tehran to manage regional security challenges and protect international shipping lanes.

The exchange comes against the backdrop of a June memorandum of understanding signed between Washington and Tehran following mediation by Qatar and Pakistan, which established a fragile ceasefire aimed at facilitating comprehensive peace negotiations.

While the United States has demanded an immediate halt to all attacks on commercial vessels and an unrestricted guarantee of freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, Iran maintains that vessel transits must adhere to a regulatory framework administered locally along its territorial waters.

Escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran have seen a surge in military exchanges across the region in recent weeks, with US forces conducting targeted strikes inside Iran and Tehran launching retaliatory strikes against American military facilities and hardware in the Gulf region.

–NMT