Iran said Tuesday it is continuing negotiations with Oman over safe shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, while Qatar called for freedom of navigation and consensus among regional states on any future arrangements governing the strategic waterway.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said the talks between Iran and Oman, the two countries bordering the strait, were focused on establishing safe inbound and outbound shipping routes while protecting both countries’ sovereign rights and national security interests, as cited by Iran’s state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).

“Iran is working with Oman to develop the necessary mechanisms for future arrangements governing the management of maritime traffic through this strategic waterway,” Baghaei said. He added that the talks have been assessed positively at both technical and political levels.

Separately, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Majed al-Ansari, said Tuesday that freedom of navigation through the strait must be protected under international law. He said the waterway should not be used for political pressure or unilateral interests and that any future arrangements should be agreed upon by all affected regional countries.

Al-Ansari also said that Qatar, Oman and Pakistan are working to facilitate engagement between Iran and the United States but that no final agreement has been reached. “De-escalation efforts and the push for a diplomatic solution are still underway,” he said.

-CNN