Iran has said discussions with Oman on establishing a temporary safe shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz have made progress, while stressing that the strategic waterway cannot fully reopen unless what it describes as US and Israeli military aggression comes to an end.
According to Al-Jazeera, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei while speaking to reporters in Tehran, said Tehran and Muscat have been engaged in talks over the past week to improve maritime safety in the strait.
"Some progress has been achieved," Baghaei said, adding that Iran has also been holding discussions with officials from countries in the region and beyond.
Baghaei said an agreement with Oman would be an important step towards restoring safe navigation but would not, by itself, be enough to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
"Agreeing on a route and ensuring safe shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is a necessary condition for the opening of the waterway. But it is not a sufficient condition," he said.
Al-Jazeera report said that while rejecting suggestions that the disruption stems from differences with Oman, Baghaei said the Strait "is not closed due to differences of opinion between Iran and Oman."
"The Strait of Hormuz has been in trouble due to the military aggression by the US and the Zionist regime," he added.
Baghaei also dismissed reports of renewed diplomatic engagement with Washington, saying there are no ongoing talks with the US and no fresh mediator has entered the process.
He said China, along with several other countries, is working to prevent tensions from escalating in the region.
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"Our Chinese friends are trying to use their capacities to prevent the situation from escalating... China, like a number of other countries, is helping," Baghaei said, while stressing that "there is no new mediator in the talks."
The Iranian spokesperson also ruled out any immediate diplomatic visits. "We are not going to host a delegation or be guests of a country during these days," he said.
Baghaei described the conflict involving Iran, the US and Israel as extending beyond Iran's borders, arguing that the regional security environment has deteriorated because of the US military presence and the use of facilities in Gulf countries.
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