London [UK], March 22 (ANI): Iran’s representative to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has said foreign vessels may continue to transit the Strait of Hormuz if they coordinate with the Iranian government on security and safety arrangements.
Ali Mousavi, who also serves as Iran’s envoy to the United Kingdom, told Mehr news agency that such cooperation is essential for stability in the strategic waterway. He stressed that transit must balance international obligations with respect for “Iran’s territorial integrity and rights” and indicated Tehran is prepared to work with the IMO and other nations to enhance maritime safety and protect seafarers.
Mousavi drew a distinction over which nations would be permitted passage, saying the “Strait of Hormuz is only closed to Iran’s enemies,” according to Al Jazeera’s report citing Mehr. He blamed regional tensions — particularly the conflict involving the United States and Israel — as the root of the current friction in the Gulf and the Strait.
In response to restrictions, US President Donald Trump issued a stern military ultimatum to Tehran, warning of strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure if the Strait is not fully reopened within 48 hours. In a social media post he wrote, “If Iran doesn’t fully open, without threat, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 hours from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various power plants, starting with the biggest one first! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
The ultimatum comes amid domestic and international pressure on the Trump administration after a sharp rise in global oil prices this month, which has been largely attributed to Iran’s effective blockade of the strategic waterway that handles roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas shipments. The situation has been exacerbated by repeated attacks on regional energy facilities and targeting of vessels since the conflict began. Tehran has previously warned it would not allow “even a single litre of oil” destined for the US, Israel, or their allies to pass through the Strait.
A US defence intelligence assessment, cited by CNN, suggests Iran could sustain a closure of the Strait for between one and six months. Despite inflammatory rhetoric in Washington, some Iranian diplomats have signalled restraint: Iran’s UN ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani said Tehran had no plans to shut the waterway, comments that appeared to contrast with the more hardline tone of the country’s newly appointed Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who suggested the route could be used as strategic leverage.
Speaking at the UN, Iravani reiterated that while Iran would not block the vital shipping lane, it reserves the right to ensure its own security. (ANI)
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