World News
Iran Says It Reached Revenue-Sharing Deal With Oman Over Strait of Hormuz
Iran says it has reached an agreement with Oman to share revenue from transit through the Strait of Hormuz as part of talks to regulate shipping. It also said the waterway will not reopen unless the U.S. accepts its conditions.
A spokesperson for Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said today (Wednesday) that Iran and Oman have reached agreements regarding the regulation of activity in the Strait of Hormuz. According to the Iranian announcement, the understandings address both the division of shipping lanes between the two countries and how revenue generated by activity in the maritime passage will be shared. However, officials in Tehran clarified that implementing the agreements and reopening the strait also depend on the conduct of the United States.
The Revolutionary Guards spokesperson said: "If the United States stops creating obstacles and returns to the understandings that were reached, we can open the Strait of Hormuz within the framework of those understandings." According to him, Iran does not intend to back down from the demands it presented to the U.S. administration. "Our conditions must be accepted by the United States. If the United States does not accept our conditions, the Strait of Hormuz will not be opened under any circumstances."
The Revolutionary Guards also pointed a finger at Washington over the prolonged talks between Tehran and Muscat. The spokesperson claimed that U.S. involvement made it harder for the sides to advance in the negotiations and led to delays in finalizing the agreements.
The diplomatic development comes as Gulf states pursue alternative ways to deal with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. New footage released last night points to unusual levels of activity in the Gulf of Oman, where numerous tankers have gathered in recent days to transfer oil to one another at sea.
According to tracking company TankerTrackers, at least 20 locations have been identified where ship-to-ship oil transfers are taking place. The company, considered one of the most reliable sources in the field, estimates that the total amounts to about 25 million barrels of crude oil, in addition to a quantity of refined petroleum products.
According to TankerTrackers, the oil originates in nearly every country in the region except Iran. In a follow-up post, the company said it had identified additional "ship-to-ship" meetings, including one case in which a gas cargo was transferred between Iranian vessels.
