Strait of Hormuz monitoring protocol: Iran and Oman draft agreement

Iran and Oman are reported to be drafting a protocol to monitor vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iran’s state news agency IRNA, citing senior Iranian diplomats. The draft is described as a bilateral framework to enhance supervision and coordination of maritime traffic along the corridor.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi was quoted by IRNA saying the protocol seeks to facilitate safe passage and provide better services to ships transiting the route rather than imposing explicit restrictions. The announcement comes amid heightened regional tension and follows moves by Iranian naval forces to exert greater control over passages in the area.

Shipping through the Strait has fallen sharply since the outbreak of open hostilities in late February, with maritime data showing a significant decline in daily transits and a marked drop in oil tanker passages. The effective contraction of traffic has been linked to both direct attacks on vessels and to insurance and operational decisions by global shippers to avoid the corridor, putting upward pressure on freight rates and energy prices.

Because roughly one-fifth of seaborne crude typically transited the Strait pre-crisis, disruptions there transmit rapidly to global energy markets and supply chains. Regional coordination between coastal states like Iran and Oman could ease navigational frictions if it restores confidence among insurers and charterers, but any arrangement that does not secure international buy-in or fail to address security risks may deliver only limited market relief.

Market and geopolitical analysts say the draft protocol could be a stabilizing signal if implemented transparently and in cooperation with international maritime authorities, though the timing and legal scope will be critical. Observers will watch whether the initiative leads to resumed commercial transits, altered insurance stances, or parallel diplomatic steps by other regional and extra-regional powers to secure energy flows. Absent those follow-up moves, the protocol may remain a limited bilateral mechanism with constrained impact on global markets.