Iran and Oman have agreed on new entry and exit shipping routes for the Strait of Hormuz, which they plan to present to other Gulf nations at an upcoming regional meeting.

Under this new plan, the entry route into the Gulf will sit entirely within Iranian territorial waters, and a section of the exit route will also fall under Iranian control. Once this new system starts operating, the waterway’s southern route will be closed, directly opposing the United States’ demands to keep it open.

Furthermore, Iranian officials emphasised that this agreement does not mean the Strait of Hormuz is being reopened. Iran has set seven conditions for the U.S. before the waterway can open, and it will remain closed until those demands are met.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei announced on Friday that Gulf littoral states’ foreign ministers are scheduled to meet in Oman tomorrow to exchange views on regional issues, including the Iran-Oman talks on designating safe routes in the Strait of Hormuz.