Tehran and Muscat delay talks, citing regional consensus need

Negotiations in Oman between Iran and Gulf Arab states have been postponed at the request of some regional countries, Iranian media have reported.The postponement came hours after an attack on an Iranian commercial cargo vessel killed one person in the Strait of Hormuz.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Fighting continues between Yemen gov’t forces, Houthis: What is the latest?list 2 of 3A dignified life is a ‘distant dream’ for many Iranian families amid US warlist 3 of 3BRICS summit: What are the key takeaways?end of listIran’s Fars news agency, quoting the director general of the Iranian foreign ministry’s Gulf affairs office, said on Sunday the postponement “was made at the request of some countries in the region and was a joint decision by Tehran and Muscat”.Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said on X that the meeting, scheduled for Monday, had been postponed “in the interests of consensus”.“We remain committed to fostering dialogue that supports stability and lasting cooperation in our region,” Albusaidi said.Oman has emerged as a key mediator in the war, building on its decades-long role as a trusted interlocutor with Tehran. The country is also directly affected by the dispute over navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, whose southern shore lies in Omani territory.In July, Muscat proposed a joint regional mechanism that would split control of the strait 50-50. The proposal also suggested “voluntary fees” from shipping vessels that would go to both countries.The system is similar to an agreement governing the Strait of Malacca, which asks ships transiting the strait to voluntarily contribute to fund navigation, environmental protection and search-and-rescue operations. Iran rejected the idea of a voluntary fee, insisting instead that payments should be compulsory for vessels transiting the chokepoint.