Iran told state TV it wants to set up a joint security mechanism with Oman to secure the Strait of Hormuz and is willing to draft protocols for safe shipping with other coastal states. The foreign ministry spokesperson gave no further details on how the mechanism would work. Tehran has largely barred non-Iranian vessels from the strait since late February, a move that has severely disrupted global energy supplies; the U.S. replied last month with a blockade of Iranian ports.
Iran Proposes Joint Security Mechanism With Oman to Safeguard Strait of Hormuz
FILE PHOTO: Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, Musandam, Oman, May 15, 2026. REUTERS/File Photo
CAIRO, May 20 — Iran has proposed establishing a joint security mechanism with Oman to ensure long-term safety in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told state television on Wednesday.
Baghaei said Tehran is prepared to develop formal protocols to guarantee safe shipping traffic in coordination with other coastal states, but he offered no details on the scope, timeline or legal framework for such an arrangement.
Since the outbreak of hostilities with the United States and Israel in late February, Iran has largely restricted passage through the Strait of Hormuz to its own vessels. That move has produced a historic disruption to global energy supplies, prompting concerns from international markets and shipping firms.
The United States last month responded by imposing a blockade on Iranian ports. It remains unclear how Oman — which has traditionally played a mediating role in regional disputes — or other Gulf littoral states will react to Tehran's proposal.
(Reporting by Menna Alaa El-Din and Yomna Ehab; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
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