Interview: Araghchi says Iran will present Hormuz route at meeting with Gulf states

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said that there will be a meeting between Iran, Iraq and five Gulf states on Monday in Oman. He added that participating countries will be briefed on the details of a new maritime route through the Strait of Hormuz agreed upon between Tehran and Muscat.

Araghchi said that if there is sufficient political will, the meeting could pave the way for future consultations on other issues of concern to the countries of the region.

He sat down with The New Arab’s Saber Gul Anbari in Tehran for an interview.

Q: For the first time, amid continuing tensions in the region, a joint meeting between Iran, the Gulf states, and Iraq is being held tomorrow in Oman. What are the most important items on the agenda, and what are the objectives of this meeting? How did the idea of holding it come about?

First, I would like to clarify an important point about this meeting. In fact, it is a meeting of the eight countries bordering the Persian Gulf. However, Bahrain, for reasons it has announced itself, did not wish to participate. Accordingly, the meeting will be held with the participation of seven countries.

The most important item on the agenda - in fact, the only item - is the issue of the new maritime route in the Strait of Hormuz.

As you know, an agreement has been reached between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Sultanate of Oman regarding its establishment.

The maps relating to this route have also been prepared, and a joint statement has been drafted on the matter.

At this meeting, the participating countries are to be briefed on the details of the agreement, the relevant maps, and the joint statement.

Ultimately, these documents will be submitted to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for registration within the organization’s mechanisms.

Therefore, the meeting’s agenda is very clearly defined, and other subjects should not be presented as formal agenda items. Of course, this is the first time that such discussions have taken place among the Persian Gulf states in this format.

From this perspective, there is hope that, if the political will exists, these discussions could pave the way for future consultations on other issues of concern to the countries of the region. But I emphasize that these are not the current objectives or agenda of the meeting. Its agenda is exclusively and specifically focused on the new maritime arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz.

Q: Given that the Iranian and Omani sides proposed the initiative to hold the meeting, what does Iran hope to achieve through it?

Iran fundamentally believes that the countries of the region themselves are solely responsible for their security and stability. It is therefore natural for them to engage in dialogue and consultations with one another regarding the region’s issues and challenges.

For many years, we have emphasized dialogue, confidence-building, and cooperation among the countries of the region. We believe that sustainable security is achieved when the countries of the region are able to reach an understanding on their common issues without interference or disruptive interventions by actors from outside the region.

Q: Are you seeking, through this meeting, a mechanism for regional security without the presence of the United States?

The objective of this meeting is not to establish a new security mechanism for the region, and there is no such issue on the meeting’s agenda.

Nevertheless, the fact that the countries of the region are meeting for the first time at this level around a single table, and engaging in dialogue on a specific issue related to maritime security in the region, is an important event and can be regarded as a confidence-building step.

We hope that, if this process continues, conditions will eventually emerge for dialogue and cooperation on other issues.

We believe that regional issues should be managed solely by the countries of the region themselves. The more dialogue and cooperation there is among neighbouring countries, the less room there will naturally be for interference and arrangements imposed from outside the region.

Q: This meeting is taking place at a time when the Houthis in Yemen have taken control of Bab al-Mandab, and conflict between them and Saudi Arabia has intensified. What can this meeting contribute toward easing the current tensions between Iran and Gulf countries and resolving regional issues such as Yemen?

We must distinguish between these two issues.

This meeting is not being held to discuss the Yemen issue or to resolve disputes between the countries of the region. As I mentioned, the meeting’s specific agenda is the new maritime arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz and briefing the parties on the agreement and the relevant documents.

However, the fact that this dialogue is taking place amid the current circumstances in the region is itself significant.

Today, we are facing a series of interconnected crises and tensions in the region. The experience of recent years has demonstrated that these issues cannot be resolved through confrontation, pressure, or the involvement of actors from outside the region.

The more the countries of the region engage in dialogue with one another, the greater their mutual understanding of each other’s concerns, interests, and priorities. This process can help reduce misunderstandings and manage tensions.

With regard to Yemen, the position of the Islamic Republic of Iran is clear. We believe that there is no military solution to the Yemen issue, and that the future of the country must be determined by the Yemenis themselves through dialogue and an inclusive political process.

Q: Given that the agreement between Iran and Oman regarding the Strait of Hormuz is expected to be signed and announced at this meeting, can you explain its contents and the extent to which Tehran is counting on these countries’ support for moving forward with the agreement and putting pressure on Washington to accept the new maritime route?

Regarding the content of this agreement, I should clarify one point from the outset: this understanding does not in any way mean opening the Strait of Hormuz.

The understanding between Iran and Oman actually establishes the framework and arrangements under which maritime traffic would operate if the conditions for reopening the strait are met.

The details and specifications of the new entry and exit routes through the Strait of Hormuz have been determined.

Iran’s condition for reopening the Strait of Hormuz is for the United States to return to its commitments under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.

Q: Tehran has repeatedly stated that the agreement with Oman does not mean reopening the Strait of Hormuz, as you have also indicated, and has linked reopening it to the fulfillment of certain conditions. Can you specify these conditions precisely, and to what extent could such an agreement pave the way toward meeting them and resuming negotiations with the United States?

To answer with complete clarity, Iran’s condition for reopening the Strait of Hormuz is neither complicated nor a new list of conditions.

If the United States returns to the commitments it accepted and signed under the Islamabad MoU, and acts in accordance with them, the conditions will be created for the situation in the Strait of Hormuz to return to normal.

The Islamic Republic of Iran is committed to its responsibility to seek to ensure navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. However, naturally, US aggressive actions and illegal interventions - including the naval blockade and economic warfare - are the main factor behind the lack of maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz.

The Iran-Oman understanding should also be viewed within this framework.

This understanding establishes new arrangements and routes for navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, but it does not itself mean that the strait has been reopened.

If the United States honors its commitments under the Islamabad MoU, then the framework designed by Iran and Oman concerning how maritime traffic should operate could serve as the basis for returning maritime traffic to normal.