Qatari PM arrived in Muscat on Wednesday to begin talks with Oman that will
launch negotiations involving Iran, the GCC and Iraq on reopening the Strait of
Hormuz and its future operation, a diplomat said. Gulf states are expected to
press for fee-free transit; the diplomat said transit fees are not on the table
but Iran may propose charges for environmental, navigation and security
services. The Iran–GCC–Iraq talks are distinct from US–Iran peace negotiations
and demining arrangements and focus solely on future operational governance of
the strait. Iran and Gulf states are also preparing separate regional
reconciliation talks in Riyadh.
