The first meeting of a joint Iranian-Omani committee on the future management of the Strait of Hormuz convened in Muscat, as the two coastal states advanced talks mandated by a broader memorandum of understanding. The discussions, confirmed by Iranian deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi, focused on the strait’s long-term administration, navigational services and associated costs, yet they exposed a persistent divergence over whether vessels transiting the waterway can be charged. The committee’s work proceeds against a 60-day interim period during which Iran has committed to ensuring safe commercial passage without levying any fee, while demining operations are conducted exclusively by Iranian forces.

Iranian officials have framed the initiative as an exercise of sovereign rights. Gharibabadi stated that the strait requires a new management structure and warned that if Oman proves unwilling to cooperate, Iran will proceed unilaterally. Tehran distinguishes between a transit toll—which it says it does not seek—and fees for services such as safety measures, pollution prevention and emergency response. Gharibabadi also rejected any foreign role in demining, directly rebuffing an offer by French President Emmanuel Macron to coordinate mine-clearance efforts with partners. In parallel, Iran announced that a domestic working group is monitoring implementation of the memorandum, citing what it describes as violations of commitments concerning Lebanon.

Viewed from Muscat, the position is more circumspect. Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi said his country does not support imposing tolls on ships, which he noted are prohibited under international law, but acknowledged that discussions are under way on voluntary service-based fees. He pointed to the Malacca and Singapore straits as possible models where coastal states provide services within the framework of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Western legal analysts, including Jennifer Parker of the University of Western Australia, argue that the Strait of Hormuz is an international waterway where all vessels enjoy the right of transit passage, which coastal states may not suspend or make conditional on payment. They note that the main traffic separation scheme lies in Omani waters and that the strait’s width—roughly 39 kilometres at its narrowest—makes enforcement of any fee regime impractical without sustained military coercion.

A separate layer of confusion surrounds the prospect of direct US-Iranian talks in Doha. President Donald Trump wrote on social media that a meeting would take place, and White House officials said envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would travel to Qatar. Iranian officials, however, denied any bilateral encounter, stating that their expert delegation is in Doha solely to pursue the issue of frozen Iranian funds through Qatari mediation. Gharibabadi reiterated that no negotiations with the United States are scheduled. The mixed signals leave the diplomatic track uncertain even as the interim arrangements in the strait take effect. The joint committee is expected to continue its work, with Iran signalling that it will also consult other Gulf coastal states on the future governance of the waterway.