Iran and Oman are nearing a deal on the Strait of Hormuz that would reopen the waterway but hand Iran unprecedented control over it, The New York Times reports, citing unnamed officials with knowledge of the matter.
The pact would reportedly have ships entering the Persian Gulf cross the strait in a route close to Iran’s coast and controlled by the Islamic Republic. They would be required to pay “service fees,” with revenue divided equally between Iran and Oman, Iranian officials are cited as saying.
Vessels leaving the area would use a route near Oman’s coast.
The report is unclear on who exactly is negotiating the deal, whether the United States is part of the negotiations, or whether Washington is on board.
The report cites a US official as casting the Iranian description of the deal as “not accurate,” asserting that “temporary” routes inaugurated by it would not require Iranian approval or paying tolls.
Until the recent war, the Strait of Hormuz operated for decades as a free international waterway.
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