Talks with Oman on Hormuz Strait reach final stage: Iran

Iran-Oman negotiations on the designation of a temporary route for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz have reached the final stage, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday.

The understanding between the two countries regarding the route's designation would likely be registered with the International Maritime Organization in the coming days, Baghaei said at a weekly press conference in Tehran.

The insecurity in the waterway is a consequence of the U.S.-Israeli military aggression against Iran, he said, noting that vessels will not be able to travel this route with confidence and a sense of security by the time this situation continues.

Responding to a question about a Sunday visit by a Qatari delegation to Iran, Baghaei said it took place as part of Qatar's efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region.

He said contacts between Iran and certain other countries in the region that have long been trying to help reduce tensions are "an ongoing process."

In a joint statement late last month, Iran and Oman announced they had exchanged views on a proposed phased framework that includes establishing a temporary joint shipping corridor in the Strait of Hormuz and an agreement to implement a joint project to demine the waterway.

Technical talks between the two countries will continue to address the designation of a permanent shipping corridor, the future administration of the strait, and a mechanism for information exchange, traffic management, and security arrangements in the waterway, the statement added.

Iran tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz on Feb 28, barring safe passage of vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States following their joint strikes on Iranian territory.

China's foreign exchange reserves stood at 3.4383 trillion U.S. dollars at the end of August, up 19.5 billion dollars, or 0.57 percent, from July, according to official data released on Monday.

In August, affected by global macroeconomic data and monetary policy expectations in major economies, the U.S. dollar index declined, while global major financial asset prices showed differentiated performance, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange noted.

The combined effects of exchange rate conversion and asset price changes contributed to the increase in China's foreign exchange reserves during the month, the administration said.

China's economy has been generally stable with steady progress, demonstrating strong resilience and vitality, which provides support for keeping the scale of foreign exchange reserves basically stable, according to the administration.