Georgy Borysenko, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, met with Hamoud bin Salem Al Tuwei, Oman’s ambassador in Moscow, to discuss the situation in the Persian Gulf and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, and said that Russia believes transit through this waterway must be free.

According to the Russian news agency Sputnik, Borysenko said: “Russia believes that transit along all sea routes used for international shipping must be free. We believe this also applies to the Strait of Hormuz.” He added that Moscow expects conditions to return to a situation in which commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz can be carried out “without any restrictions for everyone.”

The Russian Foreign Ministry also stated that Moscow and Muscat share a common position on the importance of guaranteeing freedom of international navigation and emphasized the need to find political and diplomatic solutions to resolve the situation in the Persian Gulf.