Salalah: Diplomatic efforts to improve shipping arrangements through the Strait of Hormuz have suffered a setback after Oman postponed a meeting between Iran and Gulf countries that was scheduled to take place in Salalah on Monday.
The meeting was intended to discuss arrangements for navigation through the strategic waterway. Oman said the postponement was intended to create conditions for constructive dialogue and agreements that could support regional security and stability.
Iranian officials said the meeting was postponed at the request of some regional countries. Reports have linked Saudi Arabia to concerns over the proposed arrangements, but Riyadh has not publicly confirmed that it requested the postponement.
The delay comes as tensions around the Gulf and the wider Middle East remain high. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains severely restricted, while recent attacks on Saudi Arabia and vessels in the region have increased concerns about energy supplies and international trade.
Oman and Iran have been working on arrangements for safer navigation through the strait. In August, the two countries announced a framework that included a temporary navigation corridor through Hormuz and a joint project to clear mines from the waterway.
The framework also included plans for further talks on a permanent navigation corridor, traffic management, information sharing and maritime security arrangements. Oman and Iran said regional countries bordering the Gulf should also be involved in the discussions.
The postponement highlights the difficulty of reaching agreement among the countries involved.
Bahrain had already said it would not participate in a collective meeting with Iran until diplomatic relations between the two countries were restored. Bahrain also called for the Strait of Hormuz to remain open without discrimination, fees or permits.
Saudi Arabia has stressed the importance of freedom of navigation and regional security. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said Saudi Arabia's security, territorial integrity and resources were inviolable.
The maritime situation has meanwhile deteriorated further.
Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority issued a new list on Monday naming 77 vessels it said had violated Iranian protocols for passage through the Strait of Hormuz. The authority warned that the vessels could face fines, detention or confiscation.
Preliminary ship tracking data showed that commodity vessel traffic through the strait fell to single digit levels per day over the weekend, compared with an average of about 14 vessels a day over the previous 10 days. The figures are preliminary and may not include ships that switched off their tracking systems.
A separate maritime incident has added to the uncertainty. Iranian state media reported that an Iranian commercial vessel was struck near Qeshm Island, killing one person and injuring others. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency also reported that a vessel was struck by an unknown projectile while transiting the strait. It was not immediately clear whether the reports referred to the same incident or who was responsible.
The crisis is also affecting the wider regional energy network.
Yemen's Houthi movement has continued attacks on Saudi Arabia and has expanded its presence around the southern Red Sea. The group has captured strategic islands near the Bab el Mandeb Strait, another major maritime route linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
The developments around Bab el Mandeb are also important because it is a major maritime route used for international trade and energy shipments. Growing instability around both waterways has increased pressure on regional shipping and global energy markets.
Oil prices rose sharply on Monday as markets reacted to the latest attacks and continuing uncertainty over regional shipping. Brent crude rose above 108 dollars a barrel during trading.
Saudi Arabia's East West pipeline, an important route for moving crude without using the Strait of Hormuz, was shut after a drone attack. The disruption has raised concerns about the country's ability to move oil through alternative routes while the wider regional crisis continues.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most important routes for oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. Any prolonged disruption to the waterway could have wider consequences for energy markets, shipping costs and countries that depend on energy imports.
The International Maritime Organization has also warned about the impact of the crisis on seafarers and commercial shipping. Maritime incidents in the region have continued to raise concerns about the safety of crews and vessels.
The regional meeting has been postponed rather than permanently cancelled. No new date has been announced.
The key question now is whether Iran and the Gulf countries can return to negotiations and agree on practical arrangements that would allow commercial vessels to move safely through the Strait of Hormuz.
Until then, restricted shipping, attacks on energy infrastructure, higher oil prices and continuing military tensions are likely to keep pressure on regional energy supplies and international trade.