Iran could consider allowing ships to sail freely through the Strait of Hormuz from the Omani side without risking attack, based on proposals it has tabled in negotiations with the US, if an agreement is reached to prevent a resurgence of conflict, a source briefed by Tehran said.

The proposal appears to be more of a goodwill gesture than a move that could in itself offer an immediate development for hundreds of ships waiting to pass through the critical sea corridor that handles about 20% of the world’s oil and LNG flows.

The source, who asked not to be named because the issue is “sensitive”, said Iran would be willing to allow ships to use the other side of the strait, in Omani waters, without being obstructed by Tehran.

“We welcome any move that allows safe passage of ships through the established system of maritime traffic separation,” said a spokesman for the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations’ shipping agency.

The proposal is the first apparent step that Tehran is backing away from more aggressive ideas it has floated in recent weeks, which included imposing transit fees on ships and dominating the straits.

Both options were seen by the global shipping industry as a violation of treaties governing navigation.

The US and Israel’s war with Iran has led to the biggest ever disruption to global oil and gas supplies, because maritime transport in Hormuz has been halted due to Iran’s disruption of traffic through the Straits.

Hundreds of tankers and other ships, as well as 20,000 sailors, remain stranded inside the Gulf since the war began on February 28. A two-week ceasefire came into effect on April 8 and US President Donald Trump said yesterday, Wednesday, that the war was nearing an end, but controlling the straits remains a key issue.

The source did not specify whether Iran would also agree to remove any mines it may have planted on the Omani side or whether all ships – even those linked to Israel – would be allowed free passage.

However, according to an exclusive report by Reuters, the source added that the proposal is contingent on Washington being ready to meet Tehran’s demands, a condition central to any major development in relation to the straits.

An Iranian official said separately that the proposal means Iran will retain control of the Strait of Hormuz within its own territorial waters while not interfering on Oman’s side, which he said is intended to show goodwill in ending the war, with Tehran expecting similar flexibility from the US.

The White House and Iran’s Foreign Ministry did not respond to requests for comment.

A Western security source said a proposal to allow ships to pass unimpeded through Oman’s territorial waters was in the works, though it is unclear whether there has been any response from the US.

The Iranian proposal would be the first move towards restoring the status quo in crossing the straits, which has been in place for decades despite Iran’s periodic seizures of ships.

The so-called two-way system of maritime traffic separation, which was adopted by the UN Maritime Administration in 1968 by agreement of the countries in the region, created the present system of ship routes that separates the maritime corridors through the territorial waters of Iran and Oman.

The strait, a sea lane just 34 kilometres (21 miles) wide between Iran and Oman, provides a passage from the Gulf to the Indian Ocean and is a major route for energy supplies from the Middle East and other vital goods including fertiliser.

The meeting of IMO member states this week rejected the idea of Iran imposing tolls on ships using the straits, which the IMO said would “set a dangerous precedent.”

The US on Monday imposed a blockade on oil tankers leaving Iranian ports and ship traffic more broadly remained at around zero since February 28.