Iran Warns Strait of Hormuz Safe Passage Depends on Tehran’s Coordination

Tehran, MINA – Iran has made it clear that safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz cannot be guaranteed under vague arrangements or alternative routes that bypass its authority as a coastal state, a senior Iranian diplomat said Friday, according to Anadolu Agency.

Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi stressed that any credible framework for maritime transit through the strategic waterway must be based on coordination with Tehran and aligned with Article 5 of the Islamabad memorandum of understanding signed with the United States.

“Safe passage in the Strait of Hormuz cannot be guaranteed with ambiguous arrangements, parallel routes, or decision-making outside Iran’s considerations as a coastal state,” he wrote on the US social media platform X.

He further warned that failure to meet these conditions would result in the suspension of any designated parallel route.

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The statement came in response to a joint communiqué issued by the US and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which called for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and insisted on “free, unconditional, and unrestricted navigation” through the waterway. The US-GCC statement also rejected “any tolls, fees, or attempts to assert control” over the strait.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry earlier reaffirmed that the Strait of Hormuz lies within the territorial waters of Iran and Oman, and that shipping management in the waterway would be governed by the terms of the memorandum of understanding signed on June 18, which officially came into force after both countries’ presidents electronically signed it.

The exchange underscores ongoing tensions over control of the vital maritime route, which is a key artery for global oil shipments and a flashpoint in regional geopolitics.[]

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)

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