‘Safe passage not guaranteed in Strait of Hormuz without Iran’s coordination’

Tehran: Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi on Friday underlined his country’s position on maritime navigation rules and transit arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz.

“Safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz under vague arrangements, parallel routes, or decision-making outside Iran’s considerations as the coastal state is not guaranteed,” Gharibabadi wrote on X.

“Any valid framework must be based on coordination with Iran and the provisions of paragraph 5 of the Islamabad memorandum of understanding. Otherwise, the result will be the suspension of the designated parallel route,” he added.

The United States and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on Thursday reaffirmed their strategic partnership, backed the June 17 memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Washington and Tehran, and declared that no tolls or fees should ever be imposed on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

The joint declaration followed a ministerial meeting in Manama, co-chaired by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, with Foreign Ministers from all six GCC states and the GCC Secretary General, Jasem Albudaiwi.

The ministers stressed that any lasting regional settlement must address what they described as the “full spectrum of Iran’s threats,” including ballistic missiles, drones, and support for proxy groups.

“Free, unconditional, and unrestricted navigation, including the right of transit passage as guaranteed under international law, remains essential to regional and global security,” it agreed. The ministers rejected “any tolls, fees, or

The meeting also placed significant emphasis on freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy shipping lanes.attempts to assert control over the Strait.”

Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy on Thursday stressed that the only authorised routes for vessels’ passage through the Strait of Hormuz are the ones announced by Iranian authorities.

It made the remarks in a statement published on the IRGC’s official news outlet Sepah News while warning that ships’ movement through other routes is dangerous and prohibited.

IANS