‘US interference’ delaying Strait of Hormuz deal with Oman: Report

US interference and threats by President Donald Trump are the main reasons for delays in reaching an agreement with Oman on new navigation arrangements for the Strait of Hormuz, an informed Iranian source said Wednesday.

“The main reason for the delay in the agreement with Oman regarding the Strait of Hormuz is US interference and Trump’s threats,” the source told Iran’s Sepah News.

“As long as there is US interference and the threat of a military attack on Iran, the agreement will be delayed,” the source said, adding that “Iran will not reach any agreement under the shadow of threats.”

The remarks came a day after a senior Iranian official told Press TV that Tehran and Muscat had entered “a new phase” of negotiations aimed at establishing a shipping corridor to ensure the safe passage of commercial vessels through the strategic waterway.

The official said an understanding with Oman was “within reach” if the US stopped interfering in the talks.

The official also accused Trump of seeking to influence the negotiations and claim credit for any agreement, saying his actions had slowed the process.

The proposed corridor is intended to safeguard Iran’s sovereign rights as a littoral state while ensuring the safe transit of commercial vessels, according to the official.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said Tuesday that talks with Oman were progressing at the technical and political levels.

Baqaei said the negotiations focused on defining safe inbound and outbound shipping lanes while protecting the sovereign rights and national security interests of Iran and Oman. He added that the results would be announced once the talks concluded.

Also Tuesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington and Tehran had made progress in talks on navigation through key international waterways but had yet to reach a final agreement. He expressed hope that an agreement would be reached “very shortly.”

Iran and the US signed a memorandum of understanding on June 18 to end a war that began Feb. 28 after the US and Israel launched military operations against Iran.

The memorandum called for negotiations on future shipping arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategic energy and trade corridors. Its implementation, however, has stalled amid disputes over navigation and continued military tensions.