Iran says Oman meeting aims to boost security cooperation

TEHRAN: Iran's upcoming meeting with Gulf states in Oman on Monday (Sep 14) to discuss the Strait of Hormuz will aim to strengthen cooperation on security in the Middle East, state media reported.

The talks in the Omani port city of Salalah come as Iran and the US clash over the blockaded strait that is crucial for the global oil and gas trade.

The official IRNA news agency reported on Sunday that the meeting would be "the first step towards establishing a regional framework for security cooperation" in the Gulf.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said it "will serve as an essential cornerstone for ensuring stability and security", in a statement carried by the ISNA news agency.

Iran has been at war since Feb 28, when US-Israeli strikes killed its supreme leader.

Iran retaliated with attacks across the region and blockaded the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of world oil supplies previously flowed.

Tehran has been pushing to formalise its control over the waterway, including potentially charging fees for passage, and has been in negotiations with Muscat, whose territorial waters also cover Hormuz.