Oman's joint management proposal for the Strait of Hormuz rejected: 'Iran rejected the joint management model'

It has been reported that Oman, with the support of Gulf countries, prepared a new management model for the Strait of Hormuz and presented it to Iran. The plan highlights the idea of sharing the navigation management of the strait and collecting non-mandatory contributions from ships using this route.

According to information based on Gulf sources and a Western diplomat, the proposal does not envision Iran establishing sole control over the strait. The fee section is described as a "voluntary contribution" model rather than a mandatory transit toll.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi announced that Tehran had proposed to Oman that it manage the section of one-way navigation on the Iranian side, while Muscat would undertake a portion of the navigation in the opposite direction.

US AGAINST THE IDEA OF FEES

The US side, however, opposes the collection of any tolls or fees in the Strait of Hormuz, which is an international waterway. A US official stated that the negotiated agreement would not include fees, expressing that Washington wants a return to the pre-war free transit regime.

A Western diplomat compared the voluntary contribution model on the agenda to the contributions requested by Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore for navigation and search-and-rescue services in the Strait of Malacca. The same diplomat noted that the practice could also be compared to examples of voluntary carbon taxes on flights.

Diplomatic contacts have intensified at a time when security concerns in the region remain high. According to the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council met via video conference on Tuesday to discuss the safety of ships in the waterway.

The Iranian military command also rejected US President Donald Trump's proposal to cover ship damages from frozen Iranian assets. The Iranian side sent a message that ships accepting these payments would not be allowed to pass through the strait.

Statements regarding the re-escalation of conflicts in the region are also overshadowing diplomacy. Trump said he halted the 13-day aerial bombardment on the advice of military commanders, but that attacks could resume if negotiations do not yield results.

''IRAN REJECTED THE PARTNERSHIP MODEL''

Iran, emphasizing that it is not seeking new negotiations with the US, accused Washington of violating last month's agreement. Whether the new model for the Strait of Hormuz will be accepted is being closely watched in terms of both energy transport and Gulf security.

However, the Tehran administration closed the door on the joint management plan presented by Oman for the Strait of Hormuz. A senior Iranian official speaking to Reuters emphasized that the proposal in question has no chance of success, stating that the strait must be managed within the framework of existing sovereignty areas.

ALLEGATIONS OF US AND SAUDI PRESSURE

The Iranian source, who rejected the draft supported by Arab Gulf countries that aims to collect voluntary contributions from ships using the strait, pointed out the following points:

It was alleged that the US and Saudi Arabia are trying to impose an unacceptable model by pressuring Oman.

It was stated that the entire entry route and part of the exit line of the Strait of Hormuz must remain under Iranian sovereignty.

It was noted that while the mediation role and neighborly relations of the Muscat administration are respected, a management style where the strait is shared fifty-fifty (50-50) does not align with Tehran's national interests.