Macron hosts Oman sultan for talks on toll-free reopening of Strait of Hormuz

Lead

French President Emmanuel Macron hosted Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq on Monday for the Gulf leader's first official visit to France, with talks expected to focus on securing the toll-free reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The two leaders reaffirmed the need to ease tensions in the region and discussed maritime security, calling for "free and unconditional" passage through the strategic waterway, according to the French presidency.

Macron and Sultan Haitham called for "free navigation, without conditions or restrictions" through the strait, as reported by France 24 and RFI. The meetings come amid ongoing uncertainty over the waterway's status, which has been paralysed since late February when US-Israeli strikes on Iran began, according to reporting from RFI.

Coverage Comparison

Coverage of the talks and the broader diplomatic push to reopen the strait varied across outlets, with different emphases on the nature of the agreements and the actors involved.

France 24 reported that the G7 summit, held in Evian-les-Bains, discussed alternative routes to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, with US President Donald Trump saying the strait would be "completely open" on Friday. The outlet also noted concerns about the commercial viability of building alternative infrastructure, quoting Maisoon H Kafafy, Senior Advisor to the Atlantic Council's Middle East programme, who said that in previous instances of oil supply disruptions "the commercial viability [of building alternative infrastructure] was simply not there and the economics of the upfront investment into these projects were perhaps too large to justify."

A separate France 24 report focused on the Macron-Haitham meeting, detailing the call for free navigation and the broader context of US-Iran tensions. It noted that the United States and Iran reached an agreement in mid-June to end the conflict triggered by US-Israeli attacks, but the strait remains a source of tension.

The Jerusalem Post, meanwhile, highlighted a joint agreement between France, the UK, and Oman to restore safe transit through the strait. The report said the joint effort would ensure that Oman's "sovereign territorial waters are safe for navigation," and that the two nations are ready to deploy the broader Multinational Military Mission to support freedom of navigation through the waterway.

RFI's coverage centered on Macron hosting the sultan for talks on securing the toll-free reopening of the strait, emphasizing Oman's long record as a key broker between Iran and the West. The outlet also noted the US-Iran agreement reached in mid-June.

Key Claims

• Macron hosted Sultan Haitham bin Tariq for talks on securing the toll-free reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, as reported by France 24 and RFI.
• The two leaders called for "free navigation, without conditions or restrictions" through the strait, a claim carried by France 24.
• France and the UK have reached an agreement with Oman to work together to restore safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz, according to the Jerusalem Post.
• The joint effort will ensure that Oman's sovereign territorial waters are safe for navigation, as stated in a joint press release from Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, per the Jerusalem Post.
• The two nations are ready to deploy the broader Multinational Military Mission to support freedom of navigation through the waterway, as reported by the Jerusalem Post.
• The Strait of Hormuz is a vital artery for the global economy, the Jerusalem Post reported.
• UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with Oman's Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik Al to discuss efforts in the Strait of Hormuz, a claim carried by the Jerusalem Post.
• The G7 summit discussed alternative routes to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, as reported by France 24.
• US President Donald Trump said the strait would be "completely open" on Friday, according to France 24.
• The US and Iran reached an agreement in mid-June to end the conflict triggered by US-Israeli attacks, a claim carried by France 24 and RFI.
• Oman has a long record of being a key broker between Iran and the West, as reported by France 24 and RFI.
• The Iranian regime intends to impose a toll on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a claim carried by France 24.
• The US has repeatedly rejected any sort of fee for passage through the strait, as reported by France 24.
• France and Oman agreed to conduct joint demining operations in the strait, a claim carried by France 24.

Context

The Strait of Hormuz, roughly 30km wide and lying between Iran and Oman, is one of the world's most important shipping routes, with around 20 percent of global oil and gas trade passing through it prior to the conflict, according to RFI. Its closure during the war drove up the price of hydrocarbons, impacting the world economy.

Oman's foreign ministry says it is working intensively on safe passage arrangements, and the sultanate is seen as a trusted intermediary in US-Iran negotiations with a direct interest in keeping the strait open, RFI reported.