Iran has announced the postponement of a meeting of the foreign ministers of the Persian Gulf littoral states that had been scheduled for Monday, saying the decision followed requests from several regional countries and was taken jointly with Oman.
Mohammad Alibek, the Iranian Foreign Ministry’s director general for Persian Gulf affairs, said the gathering would be held at a later date and that Tehran would coordinate with Muscat to agree a suitable time. The postponement comes as states in the region hold consultations on maritime navigation and security in the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic chokepoint for global shipping.
What officials said
“Upon the request of some regional countries and a joint decision by Oman and Iran, the meeting of the foreign ministers of the Persian Gulf littoral states, which had been scheduled for Monday, was postponed to another date,”
Alibek added that Iran would work closely with Oman to make the necessary arrangements regarding a new date. Iranian statements indicate the meeting was intended to brief participating countries about an agreement reached between Iran and Oman on a proposed maritime route through the strait and to share related maps.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has emphasised that the arrangement on a new maritime route should not be seen as signalling the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. He said Iran’s condition for reopening the strait is the return of the United States to commitments under the Islamabad memorandum of understanding.
Separately, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said the meeting would include Iran, Iraq and other Persian Gulf littoral states and would cover regional issues as well as the outcome of Iran–Oman negotiations on safe routes for commercial shipping.
Context and implications
The Strait of Hormuz is a vital corridor for global energy and trade. Arrangements on safe shipping routes and security protocols are of direct interest to littoral states and to wider international maritime bodies. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had earlier indicated that Arab foreign ministers would meet in Oman to discuss a framework for navigation through the strait and to notify the relevant international maritime organisation of any agreed arrangement.
The postponement leaves in place ongoing consultations rather than an immediate regional consensus. Officials have framed the delay as procedural and cooperative: Iran and Oman will consult closely to identify a new date while other regional participants continue internal and bilateral discussions.
- Who announced the postponement: Mohammad Alibek, director general for Persian Gulf affairs at Iran’s Foreign Ministry.
- Planned participants: Iran, Iraq and other Persian Gulf littoral states; Arab foreign ministers were expected to attend meetings in Oman.
- Core issue: Agreement on a new maritime route and arrangements for safe commercial navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Officials have not provided a new date. The references to the Islamabad memorandum of understanding and to an Iran–Oman agreement underscore that any operational change to navigation in the strait will be tied to political and diplomatic conditions set by Tehran.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Original schedule | Meeting of Persian Gulf foreign ministers — Monday (postponed) |
| Decision makers | Iran and Oman (joint decision) |
| Focus | New maritime route, maps, regional issues, safe commercial shipping |
The next steps will be determined in consultations between Tehran and Muscat. Any practical arrangements for navigation through the strait would also need to be communicated to—and recognised by—relevant international maritime organisations, as indicated by Iran’s president.
