MUSCAT/TEHRAN, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Oman said Thursday that future arrangements related to the Strait of Hormuz would not involve the imposition of transit fees, reaffirming its commitment to ensuring free and secure navigation through the strategic waterway.
The remarks were made by Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi during the joint ministerial meeting between the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and the United States, held in Bahrain, according to the Oman News Agency.
Albusaidi said Oman, as a littoral state of the Strait of Hormuz, bears a special responsibility in supporting international efforts to secure maritime navigation, in line with its obligations under international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The minister also reaffirmed Oman's support for the memorandum of understanding signed between the United States and Iran, stressing the importance of achieving its objectives to realize the desired peace.
He underscored the importance of restoring freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and ensuring the safe flow of maritime traffic.
Also on Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi and Albusaidi stressed the importance of continuing coordination in managing the strait in a phone call, according to a statement released on Araghchi's Telegram channel. ■
