Reopening of Hormuz depends on US making amends for MoU violations: Iran FM

Tehran: Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi on Saturday said that the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz depends on the US making amends for its ‘violations’ of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

The Foreign Minister made these remarks on the sidelines of a press conference by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported.

“Negotiations with Oman are underway regarding the legal framework and management of the Strait of Hormuz, including the designation of transit routes through the strait. We are very close to reaching an agreement,” the Iranian Foreign Minister stated.

However, he noted that the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is contingent upon other conditions, including the United States ‘making amends for its violations’ of the MoU.

“In the past, there was a Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) or route that is no longer acceptable for ship traffic from the Islamic Republic’s perspective, and it is necessary to consider a new TSS, which, of course, has extensive technical and legal complexities,” Aragchi added.

He also said that the violations of the MoU should be followed up and reiterated that the US violated the MoU.

“Clause 5 of the Memorandum of Understanding was being implemented by the Islamic Republic of Iran, and traffic conditions were supposed to return to normal within a month, which happened to be 60 per cent of normal conditions within two weeks, but the Americans were seeking to create new routes in the Strait of Hormuz, and despite the warnings given by our country, they sought to undermine the management of Iran and the Strait of Hormuz,” stated Aragchi.

On Wednesday, Tehran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said Iran and Oman have agreed on the navigation route for opening the Strait of Hormuz, and a joint statement is in the final stages.

IANS