Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said the disruption was not caused by disagreements between Iran and Oman, which share the strait’s coastline, but by US and Israeli attacks on Iran that began on February 28, according to state broadcaster IRIB.
“An agreement on safe maritime passage through the Strait of Hormuz is a necessary condition for its reopening, but it is not sufficient,” Baghaei was quoted as saying.
With this, Tehran leadership signalled that it wants an end to US attacks before allowing normal shipping to resume.
Iran and Oman are discussing a temporary safe route through the strait, but Baghaei said that those talks alone could not resolve the broader crisis.
Oman had earlier proposed a Gulf-backed arrangement for managing the waterway, including voluntary fees paid by vessels using it. Iran rejected regional joint management, insisting that Tehran and Muscat should oversee their respective sections without other powers, Reuters reported.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important energy routes for nearly 20% of global crude oil shipping. Disruption to shipping since the US-Israeli war began has fuelled concerns over oil and gas supplies and pushed up energy prices.US President Donald Trump said that talks will resume on Monday but Tehran has not confirmed any such negotiations.
It, however, did reiterate that only Pakistan, with help from Qatar, is the main mediator in the war that has now entered its sixth month.