Ismail Baghaei, the spokesperson of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Foreign Ministry, said in an interview with IRIB that the Islamic Republic’s and Oman’s talks about the Strait of Hormuz are bilateral and “do not concern anyone else.”

He added that the negotiations are aimed at reaching an understanding regarding a secure maritime route and have been underway for a long time, and are not a new issue. According to Baghaei, the Islamic Republic and Oman, as two coastal states, must reach a specific mechanism for the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

According to Baghaei, these talks began the day after the Tehran-Washington ceasefire memorandum, with the objective of reaching a route agreed upon by both sides that would serve the interests of the Islamic Republic.

He also said that “under no circumstances is the Strait of Hormuz supposed to be returned to the situation prior to 9 Bahman,” and added that it must be ensured that the strait is not exploited by “aggressor parties” against the Islamic Republic and that Iran’s sovereign rights are fully respected.