Iran rejects Omani proposal to reopen Strait of Hormuz

Tehran insists exclusive control of the shipping lane is essential, despite growing diplomatic frustration.

By World Israel News Staff

Iran has reportedly rejected an Omani proposal to jointly oversee commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, insisting instead that it seeks exclusive control over the strategic waterway — a stance that has reportedly frustrated countries attempting to revive the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) governing regional tensions.

According to a Wall Street Journal report, negotiators working to salvage the fragile agreement have grown increasingly frustrated with Tehran’s refusal to compromise over the future administration of one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints.

The proposed Omani initiative would have divided responsibility for the Strait of Hormuz between the two neighboring countries. Under the plan, both Iran and Oman would oversee commercial traffic and share revenue generated from tolls imposed on vessels transiting the passage.

However, Iranian officials reportedly dismissed the proposal almost immediately.

“We said that this does not solve Iran’s concerns,” Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said, describing Tehran’s response to the proposal.

Instead, Tehran has demanded that it receive primary authority over the strait.

“The inbound shipping lane must be entirely under Iran’s control, while part of the outbound lane may remain under Oman’s control,” Gharibabadi told the Journal. “If they accept this proposal, we will move on to the next stage.”

Gharibabadi said Iran “does not plan to negotiate with the United States” regarding the future administration of the waterway, signaling that Tehran intends to deal directly with regional actors rather than engage in broader talks with Washington.

The dispute extends beyond control of the shipping lanes themselves. The Omani proposal reportedly envisions commercial vessels paying tolls to transit the Strait of Hormuz — a major departure from the long-standing system under which international shipping passed freely through the waterway prior to the outbreak of Operation Epic Fury in late February 2026.

That aspect of the proposal has also generated opposition from the United States. American officials have repeatedly stated that they oppose any arrangement requiring commercial shipping to pay transit fees through the strait, arguing that freedom of navigation is a fundamental principle of international maritime law.

Iran, however, has made clear that it has no intention of returning to the previous status quo.

Gharibabadi stressed that the Strait of Hormuz “will never return to its pre-war state.”

Should commercial shipping eventually resume without tolls, Iran’s “success” in the conflict would be “incomplete,” he added.