Emergency high-level diplomatic talks were held in Muscat today between Oman and Iran aimed at ensuring the safe passage of commercial ships through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, Qatari television Al Jazeera reports. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with his Omani counterpart Badr Albusaidi to discuss the implementation of the agreements from the bilateral memorandum of understanding.
According to the American publication New York Post, the talks come at a time of serious tension after Washington issued an ultimatum to Tehran to publicly declare that the strait is open and will not attack vessels. While Iran is trying to impose controls and charge fees to passing ships to rebuild its economy, Oman is pushing for a more moderate approach, based solely on optional fees for real navigational and environmental services, to preserve the delicate geopolitical balance in the region.