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The Pakistani government voiced optimism Thursday about an emerging proposal from Iran and Oman to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but stressed that ultimately the decision would rest with Tehran and Washington.
“There was indeed renewed efforts for the opening of the Strait of Hormuz,” Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi told reporters in Islamabad, referring to the visit by Pakistan’s army chief to Tehran earlier this week.
Andrabi said Islamabad remained hopeful that the diplomatic efforts would generate “momentum” toward reopening the strategic waterway, whose disruption has affected global supply chains, particularly energy supplies.
“We remain positive that some momentum will be generated towards this important aspect — the opening of the Strait of Hormuz — because it affects everybody with respect to the disruption of supply chains, particularly energy supply chains,” he said.
The Pakistani spokesman pointed to further diplomatic activity, including a meeting Thursday between the Qatari and Iranian foreign ministers in Tehran, saying there were “concerted efforts towards the settlement of this issue, particularly the opening of the Strait of Hormuz.”
However, he stressed that any final arrangement would depend on decisions by the two principal parties.
“It would come down to a sovereign decision that is to be taken in Tehran and Washington,” Andrabi said.
Asked whether Pakistan would support a proposal being discussed by Iran and Oman to establish a temporary shipping channel through the strait if commercial vessels were required to pay fees, Andrabi declined to take a position on the specific issue.
“This is part of the larger discussion,” he said, adding that he did not want to comment on individual questions concerning “the right to levy fees, the right to collect fees by the littoral states, and what the obligations are of the countries whose ships are passing by.”
