Image for representation purposes only Iran has rejected Oman’s proposal to equally divide shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, instead proposing a temporary arrangement that would place one entire transit lane and part of the opposite lane within Iranian territorial waters, Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on Tuesday. The disagreement is a setback to efforts to reopen one of the world’s most important energy shipping routes after months of conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel. Before the crisis, about 100 ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz each day, including tankers carrying around 20 million barrels of oil and petroleum products daily, or roughly one-fifth of global oil consumption. Speaking on Iranian state television, Gharibabadi said Oman had proposed splitting the shipping lanes equally, with one route running through Iranian waters and the other through Omani waters. Iran rejected the proposal, saying it does not meet the country’s security concerns. Instead, Tehran proposed that ships travelling in one direction use a route entirely within Iranian territorial waters, while part of the return route would also pass through Iranian waters. Oman would oversee only part of the opposite lane. He added that Iran would move to the next stage of negotiations only if Oman accepted the proposal. If Muscat rejected it, the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed under Iran’s plan. Gharibabadi also said Iran has never recognised the southern shipping route along Oman’s coast as the permanent transit route. Oman had proposed a broader regional framework to manage shipping through the strait, including voluntary financial contributions from shipping companies for maritime services. According to officials familiar with the proposal, the plan had support from Gulf states and aimed to prevent Iran from gaining sole control over the waterway. The proposal also included creating a regional consortium to