RIYADH/TEHRAN – Iran and Oman have reached an understanding on the outlines of an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for 60 days, Saudi-based Al Hadath news channel and Al Arabiya news channel reported Thursday, both citing high-ranking sources.
The sources said the agreement, which still needs approval by Iran's Supreme National Security Council and could be announced within days, aims to resume navigation in the waterway.
Vessels entering the strait will use a route close to Iran, while those leaving will take one close to Oman. No transit fees or service charges will be imposed, and regional parties may participate in demining and technical procedures, the sources said.
Following the agreement's approval, the United States and Iran will return to their peace memorandum of understanding and activate Paragraph 5 concerning the reopening and safe navigation of commercial shipping through the strait, the sources said.
Indirect contacts between Iran and the United States remain through mediators and have entered their final stage, the sources added.
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Iran tightened its grip on the strait on Feb 28, barring safe passage of vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States following their joint strikes on Iranian territory.
In June, Iran and the United States signed the MoU on ending the conflict on all fronts, including Lebanon. The two sides were scheduled to hold negotiations within a 60-day period to reach a final agreement, but recent escalation in the region has left the talks' fate uncertain.
Explosions following confrontation with 'enemy targets'
In another development, two explosions were heard on Iran's southern Qeshm Island in Hormozgan province Thursday night as a result of the Iranian armed forces' confrontation with "hostile enemy targets" at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.
Tasnim cited informed sources as saying that the explosions were heard at around 21:40 local time (1810 GMT), adding that the "achievements" of the Iranian naval forces' confrontation will be announced in the coming hours.
It also quoted Ahmad Nafisi, Hormozgan's deputy governor for political, security and social affairs, as saying that no strike or incident had been reported on Qeshm Island and the provincial capital Bandar Abbas.
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He added that the relevant authorities are carrying out the necessary investigations to identify the cause of the explosions.
