An agreement between Iran and Oman on a new shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz would not by itself lead to the reopening of the strategic waterway.

Axar.az reports, citing PressTV, that Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran and Muscat were working on a new Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) that would establish a route acceptable to both sides while safeguarding their sovereign rights, national interests and security.

“We are now going to reach an understanding on the route that both sides agree on, neither the northern route nor the southern route, but a route that determines the sovereign rights of both sides and ensures our national interests and security, in the form of a new Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS),” he said.

However, Baghaei stressed that the agreement would only be a necessary condition for reopening the strait, not a sufficient one.

“I should also say that the understanding between Iran and Oman regarding the new route has nothing to do with the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz; this understanding is a necessary condition, but not a sufficient one,” he said.

“There is absolutely no intention for the situation in the Strait of Hormuz to return to the conditions before February 28,” Baghaei added, saying Iran needed to ensure the waterway could not be exploited against it.

He also rejected US pressure, saying Tehran would not be influenced by threats.

“Iran is in no way influenced by the harsh rhetoric of others, and the interests and expediency of the country are not going to be affected by threats from US officials,” he said.