Tehran, Iran – Iran has unveiled a temporary proposal to reorganize navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, giving it a greater role in supervising ships crossing the strategic waterway,
as part of ongoing consultations with the Sultanate of Oman regarding the mechanism for managing navigation during the next phase.
Modifying ship transit routes
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi explained that the proposal stipulates modifying ship
transit routes so that a larger proportion of them pass through Iranian territorial waters.
He believes that this arrangement enhances security oversight
and maintains the security of the Strait of Hormuz in light of regional developments.
The Iranian official noted that Tehran had rejected a previous Omani proposal
to share shipping routes between the two countries.
He stressed that the Iranian vision is based on security and sovereignty considerations,
and that it sees a need to reconsider the current traffic management mechanisms.
Protecting the Strait of Hormuz
Gharibabadi stressed that his country would not accept a return to the previous navigation system
without modifications that take into account Iranian security interests.
He stressed that protecting the Strait of Hormuz should remain the responsibility of the countries bordering it.
Iran rejects the participation of any external parties in carrying out security tasks or removing mines within the maritime corridor.
This proposal comes at a time when the international community continues
to monitor developments related to the Strait of Hormuz,
which is one of the most important maritime routes for the transport of oil and gas globally.
This comes amid concerns that any changes to its management mechanism could affect international trade and energy markets.
