Iran, Oman in final stages of Homruz shipping route deal — Pajhwok

KABUL (Pajhwok): Iran says it has reached an agreement with Oman on a route for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, but warned that the arrangement would not guarantee safe navigation through the strategic waterway. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the agreement was in its final stages but did not provide further details, the BBC reported. He said the “geographical coordinates of the route” had been agreed with Oman, adding that the proposal would allow shipping to pass through the strait. However, Baqaei said the agreement with Oman alone could not ensure safe navigation, arguing that the security situation remained affected by what he described as a US naval blockade of Iranian ports and other “aggressive and threatening actions” against Iran and its interests. The United States and Oman have not commented on the proposal. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi later told Iran’s official IRNA news agency that the proposed route would be temporary and could remain open for between two and four months. He did not provide further details. The Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy corridor, normally carries about one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supplies. Since the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, Tehran has largely blocked the waterway, disrupting international shipping and raising concerns…