Iran and Oman have postponed a meeting on negotiations involving Gulf Arab states that was scheduled for Monday, with both sides citing the need for wider regional consensus. The decision came hours after an attack on an Iranian commercial cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz killed one person.
What Iran and Oman said about the delay
Iran’s Fars news agency, citing the director general of the Iranian foreign ministry’s Gulf affairs office, reported that the postponement was a joint decision by Tehran and Muscat following a request from some regional countries.
Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said the meeting had been postponed “in the interests of consensus” and that Oman remained committed to dialogue supporting stability and lasting cooperation in the region.
Why the Strait of Hormuz is central to the talks
Oman has acted as a mediator between regional parties and is directly affected by the dispute because the southern shore of the Strait of Hormuz lies in Omani territory. In July, Muscat proposed a joint regional mechanism that would divide control of the strait equally between Iran and Oman and allow shipping vessels to make voluntary payments for navigation, environmental protection and search-and-rescue operations. Read the context: Iran-Oman Talks Show Progress on Strait of Hormuz Shipping.
Iran rejected voluntary payments and argued that vessels using the chokepoint should pay compulsory fees. Tehran has also pressed ships to use a route closer to Iran’s coast, while vessels travelling nearer the southern shore have been targeted, according to the report.
The waterway carried about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies from Gulf producers before the conflict disrupted traffic. Talks have so far failed to produce a breakthrough, while Iran continues to regard control over the waterway as strategic leverage.
What is known about the vessel attack
Iranian state media reported that the attack occurred off Qeshm Island, about 22km from Bandar Abbas, killing one person and wounding four others. The governor of Qeshm reportedly described the attacker as a “terrorist enemy”.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations monitor said separately that a vessel had been struck by a projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz. It reported a severe fire and the evacuation of people on board, but did not establish whether the incident was the same attack described by Iranian media.
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