Iran has reached an agreement with Oman on the geographic route for new shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said.
The spokesperson said a joint statement by Iran and Oman is in the "final drafting stage" and would be issued provided there is no interference from third parties, Bloomberg reported.
The development comes as Tehran and Muscat continue discussions on maritime navigation in one of the world's most strategically important shipping corridors.
According to Baqaei, talks between Iran and Oman have been "professional" and are moving forward.
Separately, the spokesperson said Iran currently has no plans for official visits to Pakistan or Qatar.
The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial global energy transit route, with a significant share of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas shipments passing through the narrow waterway.
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Any developments related to shipping routes in the region are closely watched by global energy markets and maritime stakeholders.
On the other hand, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday warned Iran that it would be "hit very hard" if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened "very soon", even as negotiators continued efforts to reach an interim agreement aimed at restoring safe passage through the strategically important waterway.
Speaking to Fox News during a visit to California, Trump said, "The strait is going to be open very soon, or they're going to get hit very hard, and then the strait's going to be open."
He said Tehran had been given "a final chance to reach a deal," cautioning: "If they back out again, they're going to get hit really hard. They know that; they understand that. I have no choice. They can't have a nuclear weapon. It's very simple."
On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had told reporters that "progress" were made in talks with Iran, and an outcome was expected "very shortly".
Rubio added that "there's a conversation and a negotiation that we are involved in between Oman and Iran on how more ships can be able to go through there safely in the short term," despite efforts to prevent some commercial vessels from passing through.
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