Strait of Hormuz: Iran FM to visit Oman, state media says

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will travel to Oman on Saturday for talks on the Strait of Hormuz and shipping safety, Iranian state media said.

Iran's official IRNA news agency quoted foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei as saying the visit would continue consultations with Oman that began over the previous one or two months.

The strait has been a major point of contention between Washington and Tehran. Iran effectively closed the strategic waterway in response to the war involving the United States, Israel and Iran that began in late February.

That conflict was halted by an April 8 ceasefire agreement, but sporadic violence has continued, with many incidents linked to disagreements over the strait.

Tehran says it must control the waterway, which carries about a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas, and has said it wants to charge fees for ships that use it. The strait includes Omani and Iranian territorial waters, but international law generally does not allow the two countries to block passage or charge tolls.