Iran rejected Oman’s proposal for equal division of control over shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz, a move that complicates efforts to restart talks with the United States to end the war, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.
1+Oman, which sits across the strait from Iran, proposed a temporary arrangement that would divide the shipping lanes equally between the two countries. But Tehran demanded it receive the bulk of control over the waterway, which is critical to global oil supplies.
Iran presented a counter-proposal under which one shipping lane would run entirely through Iranian waters, and part of the lane in the opposite direction would also be under its control. “The inbound shipping lane must be entirely under Iran’s control, while part of the outbound shipping lane can remain under Oman’s control. If they accept this proposal, we will move to the next stage,” Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on state television.
1+Meanwhile, a brief lull in fighting between the United States and Iran since Friday led to renewed mediation efforts, which included a proposal for a ten-day ceasefire. But Iran’s launch of ballistic missiles at American forces in the Middle East on Tuesday evening further complicated attempts to reach an agreement.