Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran’s ongoing discussions with Oman over designating shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz are separate from any decision to reopen the waterway. Speaking to Shahraara News on Saturday, he described the talks as a technical process focused on establishing a sea route for vessel traffic.

Araghchi said the routes previously used are no longer operational, making it necessary to identify a new route. Work is currently under way to establish a temporary route, which could later be converted into a final one. He said the discussions with Oman are continuing and that a solution may be reached soon.

He stressed that agreeing on a shipping route would not automatically mean the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened. Whether it is reopened would depend on other conditions being met, he said. According to Araghchi, those conditions would have to be fulfilled by the United States, and the conclusion of the technical route discussions should not be treated as a guarantee of reopening.