Iran is preparing a bill to give the Islamic Republic authority over the Strait of Hormuz, allowing it to establish a right of passage and prohibit access to “hostile vessels.”
Iran believes its military should have authority over the Strait of Hormuz, according to a bill proposal announced by a senior official on Monday, April 27.
This Iranian bill proposes that the main route for exporting oil and gas produced in the Middle East be placed under the authority of Iranian armed forces, with passage rights to be paid in the local currency, the rial, said Ebrahim Azizi, president of the Parliament’s national security committee tasked with reviewing the bill.
Ebrahim Azizi specified that the military would control the strait to, among other things, prevent the passage of “hostile vessels.” For example, Israeli ships would be prohibited from transiting through it.
Control over the Strait of Hormuz is one of the recurring issues blocking peace negotiations with the United States, which continue their blockade in response to the mining and filtering imposed by the Islamic Republic of Iran.
“The freedom of navigation is non-negotiable”
Iran’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Abbas Araghchi stated upon his arrival in Russia on Monday, where he is set to meet President Vladimir Putin, that “the security of passage through the Strait of Hormuz is an important global issue.”
The United States has no intention of lifting its blockade, believing it is in a position of strength to force negotiations with Iran.
Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), spoke at a press conference. “Freedom of navigation is non-negotiable,” reaffirmed the head of the UN maritime agency, “and no country has the right to impede traffic in a strait.”
