Iranian and Omani foreign ministers met in Muscat on Saturday for negotiations centred on a two-corridor arrangement for managing maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, according to multiple official statements and regional officials. Oman presented a draft proposal, not yet finalised, that would divide the waterway into a southern corridor under Omani administration and a northern corridor within Iranian territorial waters. Under the plan, as described by sources familiar with the talks, the southern lane would permit free passage as before the recent conflict, while vessels using the northern lane would require prior approval from Iran, with no fees imposed.

Iranian officials, including Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei, underscored that any future traffic management arrangements must be coordinated solely by the two coastal states and must account for developments of the past few months, particularly what Tehran terms the "US-Zionist regime's war" and its security repercussions for shipping. Tehran further linked the discussions to clause five of the Islamabad memorandum of understanding, which, according to Iranian and Omani officials, envisages decisions on strait administration being taken by Iran and Oman together. An Iranian political source, cited by state-linked media, denied reports that the strait lies in international waters beyond exclusive bilateral control, stressing that Iran would reopen the waterway only on terms it defines and would not permit the creation of new lanes outside that framework.

Viewed from Washington, the negotiations are partly a test of Iranian willingness to restore the free flow of navigation. Senior US officials, quoted by American networks, said the United States expects Iran to issue a public declaration that all strait passages are open and that no further attacks on shipping will occur. They warned that failure to do so would be met with consequences. The Omani proposal, with its requirement of Iranian approval for use of the northern lane, falls short of the unconditional access Washington has sought. Separately, Iranian officials told the US that recent attacks on vessels were carried out by an "undisciplined element" within its system, a line some in Washington interpret as a tentative signal of de-escalation.

Qatar participated in a segment of the Muscat discussions, extending its parallel mediation role between Iran and the United States. Pakistan, another broker in the broader diplomatic channel, urged Tehran to preserve hard-won peace gains. The Iranian delegation left the talks without endorsing the Omani blueprint, referring it to Tehran for internal evaluation. Both governments agreed to continue discussions at political and technical-legal levels with the aim of reaching a joint understanding consistent with international law. No date has been announced for the next round, though coordination is expected to proceed in parallel with broader ceasefire compliance negotiations.