Iran has ruled out the proposal for regional joint management of the Strait of Hormuz, a senior Iranian official said on Wednesday, hitting hopes of a swift diplomatic breakthrough in the war.
The plan had no chance of success, the official told Reuters. Iran and Oman must manage the Strait of Hormuz between them, based on their respective areas of control, without the involvement of other powers, the official added.
He spoke a day after sources said Gulf states had backed the Omani plan, which suggested voluntary fees could be collected for using the strategic waterway in a bid to end disruption to trade caused by the conflict.
He said Iran respected Oman, which it considered a valuable neighbour and mediator, but that a 50/50 arrangement under which the two countries shared equal control would not serve Iran's interests.
Oman should oversee the section of the Strait corresponding to its control, he said, adding that southern routes through the Strait, which pass through Omani territorial waters, could be dangerous for shipping.
On Tuesday, a source and a Western diplomat told Reuters that Oman had proposed placing the Strait under regional management with voluntary fees to help pay for managing navigation, environmental protection, search and rescue and other services.
The plan is based on similar arrangements for the Strait of Malacca linking the Indian Ocean to the Pacific, where Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore together ask for voluntary contributions from shippers to pay for services.
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