Iran will meet with Gulf states and Iraq in Oman on Monday for talks on the Strait of Hormuz, as regional efforts intensify to address the disruption of one of the world's most important energy shipping routes.
Iran's Foreign Ministry said Friday that the meeting would seek to improve understanding among countries in the region and strengthen shared regional security, with the discussions expected to focus on the future management and security of navigation through the strait.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said Iran remained committed to ensuring the safety of navigation in Hormuz.
The meeting will bring together Iran, Oman, Iraq and coastal Gulf countries, giving the talks a broader regional dimension after Tehran had previously maintained that issues concerning the strategic waterway should primarily be resolved by countries in the region.
The development follows weeks of discussions between Iran and Oman, which both border the Strait of Hormuz, over arrangements for shipping through the waterway.
Iran and Oman agreed last month on a framework covering a temporary shipping route, mine clearance and short-term management of the strait. Iranian officials said earlier this week that the two sides had reached agreement on the main framework for a temporary shipping lane, which is expected to be formally announced.
The proposed arrangements have become increasingly important as commercial traffic through Hormuz remains severely disrupted following the outbreak of the US-Israeli war with Iran in February.
The strait handles roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies, making any sustained disruption a major concern for energy markets and international trade.
Oil prices moved above $100 a barrel earlier this week as the conflict continued and concerns over regional supply and shipping intensified.
Reporting from Tehran, Al Jazeera correspondent Sinem Koseoglu said Iran's decision to bring other regional governments into the discussions represented an expansion of the diplomatic approach to Hormuz.
She said Tehran had previously argued that regional actors should take responsibility for resolving regional issues, particularly those involving the strategic waterway.
The broader talks come against the backdrop of mounting economic pressure on Iran. Speaking ahead of the BRICS summit in India on Friday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the country was facing an increasingly difficult international environment.
Pezeshkian said sanctions imposed on Iran had reached what he described as a critical and dangerous level following military action by the United States and Israel.
He warned that pressure on a country's trade, energy, infrastructure and financial systems could produce consequences extending beyond its borders.
The conflict has also disrupted the wider global economy, while the United States has maintained a naval blockade of Iranian ports alongside the continued restrictions around Hormuz.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday welcomed the economic pressure being applied against Iran and praised US President Donald Trump for maintaining the pressure on Tehran.
Netanyahu said Israel would continue working with the United States to counter what he described as threats from Iran.
Trump, meanwhile, reiterated during a speech marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks that Iran would not be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon.
The renewed regional diplomacy over Hormuz therefore comes as military confrontation, economic sanctions and shipping restrictions continue to weigh on energy markets. The Monday meeting could provide a clearer indication of how Iran and neighbouring states intend to manage commercial navigation through the strait while the broader conflict remains unresolved.