MUSCAT, April 8 — Oman’s Transport Minister Said Al-Maawali has said that no fees can be imposed on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz under international agreements signed by Muscat.
Anadolu Ajansı reported his remarks during a Shura Council session in response to a question about potential transit charges.
“Oman’s position on the Strait of Hormuz is clear. We have signed all international maritime transport agreements.
“The strait is a natural passage not created by human intervention, and therefore no fees can be imposed under international agreements signed by the Sultanate,” Al-Maawali said in his comments carried by Oman’s Al Wisal radio station on Wednesday.
This comes after media reports cited an unnamed Iranian source as saying that Tehran has proposed charging ships passing through the Strait as part of efforts to end the war.
The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway about 34km wide between Iran and Oman, connects the Gulf to the Indian Ocean and carries roughly 20 per cent of global oil shipments.
Al-Maawali added that the Foreign Ministry is discussing the issue and hopes for an outcome that benefits the countries in the region and the international community.
Some countries, including Iran and the United States (US), have not signed relevant agreements, creating what he described as a “legal gap.”
Earlier, Muscat said that it held talks with Iran at the deputy foreign minister level to explore options to ensure smooth navigation through the strait.
On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump announced that he agreed “to suspend the bombing and attacks on Iran for a period of two weeks.”
The announcement came less than two hours before a deadline he had set for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and accept an agreement or face what he described as the destruction of “an entire civilisation.”
Regional tensions have escalated since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive against Iran on Feb 28, killing more than 1,400 people, including then-supreme leader Ali Khamenei.
Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel as well as Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets. It has also restricted the movement of ships through the Strait.
