Pakistan hopes an agreement over the Strait of Hormuz will lead to the United States and Iran resuming talks under a memorandum of understanding Islamabad helped mediate, its Foreign Ministry said Thursday.

“We hope that the agreement on the Strait will pave the way for continuing dialogue, particularly the resumption of technical level talks between Iran and the United States,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi told reporters.

Meanwhile, Iran and Oman have agreed a route for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz and were finalizing arrangements for jointly managing the strategic waterway, Tehran said earlier, as fresh security incidents highlighted continued risks for regional shipping.

The agreement would be a step towards reopening the key energy route, but official sources briefing Iranian media stressed that any easing still hinged on Washington ending its own naval blockade of Iran’s ports.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly insisted Tehran is keen for a deal to reopen Hormuz, but Iran has denied this and said it will instead make arrangements with its neighbor across the strait, Oman.

“The geographical coordinates of the route envisaged by the two sides have been agreed upon and, if certain third parties do not obstruct the process, the joint statement of the two countries, containing the main considerations and points of agreement, is also in the final review and drafting stage,” Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said, according to state news agency IRNA.

Iran has exercised de facto control of the waterway and threatened any vessels transiting routes it deems unauthorized ever since the United States and Israel launched their war against the country on Feb. 28. (AFP)