Oman's sultan meets Macron in first France visit since 1989: What to know
French President Emmanuel Macron has been pushing against any form of toll for the Strait of Hormuz.
PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that France and Oman had agreed to cooperate on clearing mines from the Strait of Hormuz "in order to secure maritime routes and guarantee free and unconditional passage" through the strategic waterway.
Macron posted the message on X after meeting Omani Sultan Haitham bin Tarik at the Elysee Palace during the first official visit by an Omani ruler to France in nearly four decades. The last visit by an Omani leader to France took place in 1989.
Following Macron's statement, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi responded to Macron with his own post on X: "According to the Islamabad memorandum of understanding, demining is carried out solely by Iran and by no other country, and we fundamentally do not permit any such thing."
He continued, "We strongly advise France not to complicate it further with provocations."
While the sultan's visit was originally planned to focus on expanding economic cooperation, including a major French-Omani business forum, discussions between the two leaders centered on the US-Iran agreement and its implications for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
The Trump administration announced Monday that the United States and Iran will launch the first round of technical talks on implementing last week's framework agreement in Switzerland on Tuesday, in Qatar.
France and several other European countries have insisted that any final agreement guarantee free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz without tolls or transit fees. Paris fears that Iran and Oman could reach an arrangement to jointly administer the strait, including some form of shipping charge, and that Washington might ultimately accept such an arrangement.
France and the United Kingdom launched an initiative on April 17 to secure the Strait of Hormuz, proposing the creation of a multinational coalition to escort commercial vessels and lead mine-clearing operations. The initiative was explicitly conditioned on an end to hostilities between the United States and Iran.
US-Oman disagreements
The US-Iran framework agreement stipulates that Iran will make "arrangements using its best efforts" to ensure the safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, while prohibiting the imposition of tolls during the 60-day negotiating period leading up to a final agreement. Washington's objective is to guarantee that the strait remains permanently open and free to international shipping. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on June 23 that no country, including Iran, would be allowed to charge tolls on vessels transiting the strait.
Still, ongoing contacts between Iran and Oman have fueled speculation that the two countries may introduce fees for maritime services.
Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, the Omani sultan and Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi met in Muscat last week to discuss the future management of the strait.
A joint statement released following the talks said that the two sides agreed to establish a joint working group "to reach agreement on future administration of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and the services that will be provided in this regard and the costs associated with them in accordance with international standards."
Speaking on Monday to Radio Monte Carlo, Busaidi said Oman remained committed to ensuring safe and free navigation through the strait. "We are not in favor of imposing transit fees," he said.
But Busaidi distinguished such tolls from what he described as voluntary payments for maritime, navigational and environmental services, which could include improving navigational safety, protecting the marine environment and strengthening emergency response capabilities.
