The Iranian military has banned the United States from accessing the Strait of Hormuz during the duration of the current conflict between Iran, the US, and Israel.
In a statement from the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations in New York, non-hostile vessels have been declared safe.
“Non-hostile vessels, including those belonging to or associated with other States, may—provided that they neither participate in nor support acts of aggression against Iran and fully comply with the declared safety and security regulations—benefit from safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz in coordination with the competent Iranian authorities,” read the statement.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in a phone conversation with his Malaysian Foreign Minister Dato’ Seri Utama Haji Mohammad Bin Hassan, said the Strait of Hormuz is closed to vessels linked to the United States and Israel, as well as any parties involved in military actions against Iran.
Additionally, the Iranian officials stated that the US and Israel, along with any other state participants in the aggression, do not qualify for non-hostile passage.
All eligible ships are expected by the Iranian government to coordinate directly with competent Iranian authorities and to adhere to newly declared safety and security regulations, making the Strait a controlled Iranian corridor.
A note from Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the opening and clearing of vessels in the Strait of Hormuz was sent to the 15-member Security Council and U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres on March 21.
The note was circulated to the 176 members of the International Maritime Organization (IMO); however, the note did not provide details on how to seek clearance.
Also Read: Tension As Israel Strikes Two Iranian Cruise Missile Production Sites in Tehran
How Iran is Operating the Strait of Hormuz
In regulating the ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, which provides transit for approximately one-fifth of global supplies of oil and liquefied natural gas, Iranians are alleged to have imposed a transit fee on commercial vessels, as reported by Bloomberg.
Five vessels were tracked as they transited the waterway via their automatic identification systems on March 23.
Data from Marine Traffic showed nine vessels had crossed in the 24 hours to March 24, with some movements taking place outside the officially designated shipping lane close to Iran’s Qeshm Island.
Earlier reports indicated there was an average of 120 daily transits before the conflict began on February 28.
Also Read: Iran Mocks Trump After Gift Claim, Fires First Missile Strike at U.S. Base in Erbil
United State Response to Iran
United States (US) President Donald Trump, in response to the US being denied access to the Strait of Hormuz, has stated that peace negotiations are ongoing to resolve the US-Israel war on Iran.
Iran’s joint military command, Ebrahim Zolfaqari, however, dismissed the claims, questioning whether Trump was negotiating with himself.
“Has the level of your inner struggle reached the stage of you negotiating with yourself? People like us can never get along with people like you,” Ebrahim Zolfaqari said on Iranian state TV.
Effect of Closure of the Strait of Hormuz
Due to the closure of the Strait by Iran following the US-Israel war on Iran, the number of daily transits has reduced.
Global energy prices rose to $150, or even $200, a barrel due to the oil supply disruption in the waterway.
Refineries in the Gulf, including Kuwait’s giant 615,000-bpd Al Zour refinery, a key supplier of jet fuel to Europe and Africa, were unable to ship fuel.
