TEHRAN: Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi is due to visit Tehran on Tuesday for talks with Iranian officials as diplomatic efforts intensify over the future of navigation through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Albusaidi will meet his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, to discuss bilateral relations, regional developments and efforts to strengthen peace and security.
The visit comes as uncertainty over the Strait of Hormuz remains a major issue in the wider confrontation involving Iran and the United States.
The waterway links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea and has historically carried around one-fifth of global crude oil and LNG shipments.
Commercial traffic has fallen sharply during the current conflict. Reuters reported that only six commodity vessels crossed the strait on August 19, compared with a recent average of about 11 vessels a day.
Oman has maintained diplomatic channels with both Iran and Western governments and has frequently played a mediating role in regional disputes.
Albusaidi and Araghchi spoke by telephone on August 21, discussing navigation through Hormuz and possible practical arrangements to restore freedom of navigation and ensure the safe movement of commercial vessels.
In June, Iran and Oman also reaffirmed their commitment to safe passage through the waterway while stressing their respective sovereignty and sovereign rights over territorial waters.
Despite the diplomatic contacts, a broader settlement remains difficult.
Tehran has argued that wider issues, including the US naval blockade of Iranian ports, must be addressed before normal maritime traffic can fully resume. Iran has also sought changes to the arrangements governing passage through the strait.
Washington, meanwhile, has called for what it describes as normal freedom of navigation and opposes restrictions or additional charges on international shipping.
A prolonged disruption would extend far beyond the Gulf.
Higher shipping and insurance costs, reduced energy supplies and renewed pressure on oil prices could affect inflation, industries and consumers across major economies.
For Oman, keeping Hormuz open is both an economic and security priority. For Iran, the waterway remains a major strategic asset and a source of leverage in its confrontation with Washington.
Albusaidi's Tehran visit represents another attempt to keep diplomatic channels open while tensions remain high.
The talks could lead to practical arrangements covering maritime movements, security coordination and procedures for commercial shipping. However, no final agreement to fully reopen the waterway has been announced.
The immediate challenge is therefore clear: Can diplomacy prevent the Strait of Hormuz from becoming a permanent flashpoint in the wider regional conflict?
AALIMI NATION | International Affairs Desk
