Iran, Oman to study charging service costs for Hormuz: joint statement

Iran and Oman will study the costs to be charged for services provided in administering the Strait of Hormuz, the two countries said Tuesday. Both nations insisted they hold sovereignty over the waterway.

Tehran has repeatedly said it plans to charge what it calls maritime service fees for crossing the strait.

What did Iran and Oman agree on regarding Hormuz?

Iran and Oman issued a joint statement emphasising their sovereign rights over their territorial waters in the Strait of Hormuz. Oman's foreign minister said on X that both sides remained committed to toll-free safe passage through the strait. The two countries agreed to maintain dialogue on the issue through a joint working group between their foreign ministries.

The working group aims to reach agreement on the future administration of navigation in the strait. It will also address the services to be provided and the costs associated with them, in line with international standards. The statement followed meetings in Muscat between senior officials from both countries.

Who represented Iran and Oman in the Hormuz talks?

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf met Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq and Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi in Muscat. Last week, Iran's foreign ministry said the country would impose what it called maritime service fees for vessels crossing the strait. Ghalibaf has said these fees will take effect once a 60 day period without charges, set out in a memorandum of understanding with the United States, comes to an end.

The memorandum of understanding states that Iran and Oman, which both border the strait, will discuss its future administration and maritime services alongside other Gulf countries. The strait normally carries roughly 20 percent of the world's crude oil and liquified natural gas. Iran closed it after coming under fire from the United States and Israel, but lifted the blockade as part of the deal signed with the US last week.

Why has the US objected to Oman's role in Hormuz tolls?

Before the memorandum of understanding was signed, Oman faced criticism from US officials over reports it planned to charge joint tolls with Iran. President Donald Trump has threatened that if Oman tries to control the waterway alongside Iran, he will "blow them up". US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has also said he will sanction Muscat if it helps impose a tolling system.

On Tuesday, Omani Foreign Minister Albusaidi said on X, following his meeting with Araghchi and Ghalibaf, that both sides affirmed their commitment to international law and toll-free safe passage. The statement appeared aimed at addressing US concerns while preserving Iran and Oman's joint claim over administering the strait.