Tehran: Iran hopes an upcoming meeting with Gulf countries in Oman will mark the beginning of a series of regional consultations, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said, as diplomatic efforts intensify around the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.

The talks, scheduled for Monday, September 14, are expected to bring together Iran and representatives from several Gulf states, with discussions currently focused exclusively on the Strait of Hormuz and arrangements concerning the vital shipping route. Oman has played a central role in facilitating the initiative.

Araghchi said Tehran believes the meeting could eventually provide a platform for dialogue on a wider range of regional matters.

“It can be hoped that this same dialogue, if there is political will, will provide a basis for subsequent consultations on other issues of interest to the countries of the region,” Araghchi told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

While the Strait of Hormuz remains the sole item on the agenda for Monday’s discussions, the Iranian foreign minister said stronger cooperation among countries in the region could also reduce dependence on outside powers.

According to Araghchi, greater regional cooperation would mean that “the scope for interventions and imposed arrangements from outside the region will naturally decrease.”

The meeting comes amid heightened concern over security and commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy corridors. Before the latest regional hostilities, around one-fifth of global oil supplies passed through the waterway.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry has said the Oman meeting is aimed at improving understanding among regional countries and strengthening shared security, while Tehran has indicated that it sees the discussions as potentially extending beyond maritime issues if the initial dialogue proves successful.