Iran's upcoming meeting with Gulf states in Oman on Monday to discuss the Strait of Hormuz will aim to strengthen cooperation on security in the Middle East, according to media reports.

The talks in the Omani port city of Salalah come as Iran and the United States clash over the blockaded strait that is crucial for the global oil and gas trade.

The IRNA news agency reported on Sunday that the meeting will be "the first step towards establishing a regional framework for security cooperation" in the Gulf.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said "it will serve as an essential cornerstone for ensuring stability and security", in a statement carried by the ISNA news agency.

US President Donald Trump said on Sunday he does not "care" about the proposed meeting.

"I don't care. That's up to them," the US leader told reporters during a visit to Ireland when asked about the meeting in Oman.

Iran has been at war since February 28, when US-Israeli strikes killed its supreme leader.

Iran retaliated with attacks across the region and blockaded the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of world oil supplies previously flowed. (AFP)


Edited by Aaron Tam