Oman says working to secure ‘safe passage arrangements’ through Hormuz

ISTANBUL

Oman is working to secure “safe passage arrangements” through the Strait of Hormuz as the conflict in the region intensifies, Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said Monday.

In remarks posted on the US social media company X, Albusaidi said the ongoing war is already causing widespread economic disruption, warning that the situation could deteriorate further if fighting continues.

“Whatever your view of Iran, this war is not of their making,” he said, adding that it “is already causing widespread economic problems and I fear they promise to get much worse if the war continues.”

He added that Oman is “working intensively to put in place safe passage arrangements for the Strait of Hormuz,” a vital maritime corridor for global energy supplies.

The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively disrupted since early March. Around 20 million barrels of oil normally pass through it daily, and its disruption has driven up shipping costs and pushed global oil prices higher.

Regional escalation has continued to flare since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing so far over 1,340 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.