TEHRAN, May 18 (ANI): Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Monday that Tehran is in continuous talks with Oman to establish a new mechanism for managing the strategic Strait of Hormuz amid rising tensions surrounding control of the key waterway.
Speaking at a press conference, Baghaei said the consultations are aimed at ensuring safe maritime traffic while protecting Iran’s rights and sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.
“The Strait of Hormuz is an important waterway for the entire world, and we have always worked to protect safe traffic through this route,” Baghaei said.
“We continue to strive to ensure that traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is carried out in complete safety. Iran and Oman consider themselves obligated to fulfill their responsibilities in this regard,” he added.
Baghaei said the ongoing geopolitical tensions involving Iran and the US-Israeli coalition in West Asia prompted Tehran to adopt new measures concerning the waterway.
“The military aggression of the United States and the Zionist regime against Iran caused us to adopt a new approach to defend territorial sovereignty,” he said.
“We are in continuous contact and negotiation with the Omani side to develop a mechanism that will achieve this goal. Last week, an expert meeting was held in Muscat, and contacts between Iran and Oman on this issue are ongoing,” Baghaei added.
The Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, remains one of the world’s most important shipping routes for global energy supplies.
Earlier Monday, Iran also announced the launch of a new regulatory body to oversee operations related to the strategically significant waterway.
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council reposted a message on X stating that the official account of the “Persian Gulf Strait Authority” (PGSA) is now operational.
The PGSA, introduced earlier this month, has been described as a new mechanism for governing maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
“In the Name of God. The official X account of the Persian Gulf Strait Authority (#PGSA) is now live. Follow us for real-time updates on the Hormuz Strait operations and latest developments,” the statement from the authority said.
The announcement marks the formal establishment of a dedicated body overseeing developments and operations linked to the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical maritime trade routes for global oil and energy shipments. (ANI)
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