Iran Tightens Grip on Strait of Hormuz: Tankers Must Use Approved Routes or Risk 'Forceful Response'
Iran's joint military command warned on Thursday that all oil tankers moving through the Strait of Hormuz must use its approved routes or face a 'forceful response,' escalating tensions over a waterway critical to global energy supplies.
The strait, a narrow passage at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, has been a focal point in negotiations to end the Iran war. The warning from the Khatam al-Anbiya military command, aired by Iranian state television, comes after U.S. and Iranian diplomats met with mediators in Qatar on Wednesday.
The reason for the warning was not immediately clear. However, the U.S. military's Central Command issued a statement about a meeting with officials from West Asian nations in Bahrain, saying 'leaders underscored their shared commitment to the free flow of commerce through' the strait. That statement appears to have provoked Iran, which is preparing for the funeral this weekend of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the war's first moments in February.
'Any failure to comply, deviation from the designated route, or disregard for the navigation protocols of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Strait of Hormuz will be met with an immediate and forceful response from the armed forces, endangering the security of the violating vessels,' the Iranian statement said.
The statement also said the continued presence of U.S. fighter jets over the strait 'causes insecurity in this waterway and threatens regional security.' It added: 'Any attempt by the United States to interfere in security matters or any disruptive action in the Strait of Hormuz will be considered a threat to Iran's national sovereignty and will be met with a rapid and decisive reaction.'
Under an interim deal, Iran and the United States agreed to allow ships to pass without fees for 60 days. But Tehran insists it must control the routes and later charge fees, reversing decades of practice in the waterway.
In a report apparently intended to bolster Tehran's claim to control the strait, Iranian state television said this week that a foreign ship got stuck after ignoring instructions from Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. But the vessel's shape, location and other details indicate it is tied to Iran and appears to have been stranded for months.
The United States and many Gulf Arab states say they will not agree to Iran charging for passage through the strait. An effort by Oman and a United Nations agency to launch a new route near Oman's shore sparked attacks across the Middle East last weekend, highlighting the tensions.
Despite the tensions, Wednesday's talks saw 'positive progress,' said Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi. He told journalists that Pakistan hoped the next round would be scheduled as soon as possible after Khamenei's funeral.
