Iran’s parliament initiates tightening control over Strait of Hormuz: US and allied ships will be able to pass only after paying reparations
The Iranian Parliament is discussing a 12-point initiative to tighten control over the Strait of Hormuz. Under the plan, Israeli ships could be completely barred from passing through, while ships from countries that Tehran considers hostile would be allowed to pass only after paying so-called war reparations.
This was reported by Censor.NET, citing Iranian media.
The U.S. reaction
In response, the United States stated that any payments to Iran could serve as grounds for imposing sanctions.
Iran's Position
Ali Nikzad, First Deputy Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, stated that Israeli ships will be completely banned from passing through the Strait of Hormuz. According to him, ships from countries that Tehran considers hostile will be allowed to pass only after paying compensation for damages caused during military operations.
At the same time, he did not specify which countries he was referring to, apart from Israel. Previously, Iranian officials had typically mentioned the United States and certain Arab allies of Washington in this context.
Under the initiative, ships from other countries will be granted passage only if they use the name "Persian Gulf." It is also envisaged that 30% of the collected fees will be allocated to the development of military infrastructure, while the remaining 70% is planned to be used for economic and social programs.
Nikzad also stressed that Iran will not return the strait to its pre-war status.
What happened before?
Earlier, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Iran is attempting to maintain control over the Strait of Hormuz, which is unacceptable to Washington. He emphasized that the United States supports freedom of navigation and will not allow restrictions on international shipping.
Donald Trump also stated that U.S. negotiators would not participate in talks with Iran in Pakistan, but that Tehran could contact the U.S. directly to resolve the situation.
French President Emmanuel Macron stated that he is trying to persuade the United States and Iran to reach an agreement on restoring normal shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.
- By the way, we previously reported that four Ukrainian minesweepers currently stationed in the United Kingdom may join the international mission to clear mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
