Iran warns oil tankers to use authorized routes in Strait of Hormuz or face ‘strong reaction’
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Iran’s joint military command warned on Thursday that all oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz must use authorized routes or face a “stern response,” further stoking tensions over the vital international waterway.
The Strait, a narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf, has emerged as one of the main issues in the negotiations to reach a permanent end to the Iran war. The statement by the Khatam al-Anbiya military command, reported by Iranian state television, comes after US and Iranian diplomats met with mediators on Wednesday in Qatar.
It was not yet clear what caused the threat from Iran. However, the US military’s Central Command issued a statement about holding a meeting with officials of Mideast countries in Bahrain that said “the leaders reiterated their commitment to free trade in the Strait of Hormuz.”
That appears to have been a remark that angered Iran, which is preparing for a funeral starting this weekend for the late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the early stages of the war in February.
“Any failure to comply, deviating from the designated route, or disregarding the navigation regulations of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Strait of Hormuz will be met with a swift and forceful response from the military, which endangers the safety of the violating vessels,” the Iranian statement said.
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It also said the continued presence of US warplanes over the sea “creates insecurity in this waterway and threatens the security of the region.”
“Any attempt by the United States to interfere in security matters or any disturbing action in the Strait of Hormuz will be considered a threat to the sovereignty of the country of Iran and will be met with a swift and decisive response,” the Iranian warning added.
Iran and the United States have agreed as part of an interim agreement to allow ships to pass without paying tolls for 60 days.
But Tehran has insisted that it must control shipping lanes and eventually impose tolls for passage, extending decades of practice in the waters.
The US and many Gulf Arab states say they will not accept the charges. An attempt by Oman and the United Nations to launch a new route near Oman’s coast sparked attacks in the Mideast last weekend, highlighting tensions.
Despite the tension, Wednesday’s talks saw “good progress,” said Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi. He told reporters that Pakistan hoped the next round of talks would be organized soon after Khamenei’s funeral.
