A ship is photographed off the coast of Khor Fakkan Container Terminal, the region’s only natural deep-sea port and one of the Emirate of Sharjah’s main container ports, on June 28, 2026, along the Gulf of Oman. (Photo by AFP via Getty Images)/
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Oman has agreed to work with Britain and France to ensure the Gulf state’s territorial waters are safe for navigation, Britain announced on Saturday, as oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz increase since the United States and Iran signed an agreement last month to reopen a vital sea lane.
“The UK and France stand ready to deploy a broader multinational military mission to support freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz,” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a joint statement with French President Emmanuel Macron.
“The Strait of Hormuz is a vital artery for the global economy. Restoring safe navigation for ships of all countries through the Strait of Hormuz is a matter of global concern,” the statement said.
France announced it has deployed mine countermeasures to the Middle East, including two mine-sweeping ships.
“Accompanied by two frigates and a maritime patrol aircraft, these assets, together with our partners, stand ready to contribute to the full resumption of navigation and the security of traffic in the Strait of Hormuz,” President Macron said in a statement regarding the X.
In May, more than 20 countries, including the UK and France, announced their support for freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz under the Multinational Military Mission on the Strait of Hormuz Waterway.
Oman’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to CNBC’s email request for comment on Saturday.
Iran warned against the British and French moves.
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Ghalibabadi said in a post on X that “the Strait of Hormuz is not a stage for the military display of extra-regional powers.”
“The security of Hormuz lies with the coastal states. Those who create a crisis will be responsible for the consequences of their adventurism. This is a serious warning,” Gharibabadi said.
main intermediary
Oman, which is located on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula and across the strait from Iran, is holding joint talks with Iran on a new maritime security order amid reports that the two countries may push for a transit fee.
Oman has said any deal would follow international law, but the potential for a financial system to be built on the waterway, which normally handles about 20% of the world’s oil, has raised concerns.
The Gulf state has served as a key mediator in regional crises and is one of the few countries trusted by both Iran and Washington, which want to ensure the reopening of flows in the strait that were cut off during the war and caused global energy shortages.
Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq met with Starmer in London on Thursday. Oman’s state news agency said in a post on X that the two discussed quelling conflicts in the Middle East and “ensuring maritime navigation through strategic waterways in the Gulf.”
The United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding on June 17 that ends nearly four months of war, reopens the Strait of Hormuz and sets up 60 days of negotiations to finalize a permanent peace deal.
Since then, oil shipments have increased. Saudi Arabia has transported around 34 million barrels of oil through Hormuz since June 17, according to data from trade information firm Kpler. Riyadh’s exports in the two weeks ending July 2 were more than double the 15 million barrels the country shipped through the strait between March 9 and June 17.
The benchmark Brent crude oil price has fallen 39% from its March high.
Year-to-date price per barrel of Brent crude oil.
The United States is firmly opposed to any tolls in the Strait of Hormuz.
US President Donald Trump’s administration has previously threatened to impose “aggressive” sanctions against Oman if it is seen to be helping Iran establish a toll system.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a May 28 post on X that “all countries should completely reject any effort by Iran to interfere with the free flow of commerce.”
Under the terms of the U.S.-Iran Memorandum of Understanding, the Iranian government cannot impose tolls on ships during the 60-day negotiation period for a durable solution.
“Not a single ship reached Iran,” President Trump said in an interview with CNBC on Thursday, suggesting that the U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz during the Iran war was not broken.
“It was a steel wall,” he said.
However, according to shipping industry information service Lloyd’s List, the blockade was breached multiple times by “Iran’s shadow fleet.”
Iranian Parliament Speaker and Chief Negotiator Mohammad Berger Ghalibaf said on Tuesday that Iran has exported more than 40 million barrels of oil since the United States lifted its naval blockade of Iranian ports and is now selling crude at a price about 20% higher than before the war.
