Iran and Oman convened the first meeting of their joint committee on the Strait of Hormuz in Muscat on Monday, marking the opening formal bilateral step toward establishing an administration framework for the waterway under the Islamabad MoU.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi confirmed the talks on X, stating he met Oman’s Ambassador-at-Large Abdulaziz Al Hinai. Both sides exchanged views on the sovereign rights of Gulf coastal states and the future management of the strait under Clause Five of the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding signed earlier this month.
Clause Five is among the most contested elements of the MoU. The United States and Gulf states have firmly rejected any Iranian toll or fee regime on the Strait of Hormuz, a position that triggered days of US-Iran military exchanges following the MoU’s signing. Both sides agreed to halt military strikes on Sunday before the Muscat meeting took place.
The Muscat talks set the stage for a broader US-Iran meeting scheduled for Tuesday in Doha, where both parties are expected to attempt a resolution of the Hormuz standoff. The Doha meeting will be the first direct engagement on the strait’s contested management provisions since the ceasefire was restored.
Oman’s role as host for the Iran-Oman committee is consistent with Muscat’s established position as a back-channel and neutral ground for sensitive Iran-related diplomacy in the Gulf.
