Call for calm. In Poland, Emmanuel Macron was questioned on Monday, April 20, about the warning shots fired at a ship from the French shipping company CMA-CGM two days earlier in the Strait of Hormuz. “France was not specifically targeted,” replied the President, referring to the changing situation in the strategic maritime corridor.
“Following the discussions that took place between Iranian authorities and companies (…) several tankers and container ships left the strait, as had been the case in recent weeks,” he explained. “It is likely that due to the American decision to maintain a targeted blockade on anything related to Iran (contrary to what was planned), Iranian authorities changed their initial position. I think it is an error on both sides.”
After these deliberations, Tehran “proceeded with warning shots that led the crews to reverse course. They were right and there have been no damages or injuries to French nationals,” Emmanuel Macron reiterated, explaining that “all of this should not lead to escalation, but to consolidate what was achieved on Friday.” This means the complete reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, without selection or filtering.”
Blocked Situation
This question, one of the major issues in the conflict triggered by the American-Israeli strikes in late February, becomes even more crucial as the expiration of the truce between the United States and Iran is supposed to occur overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday. Currently, uncertainty remains about new negotiations or the full reopening of the maritime route.
“Iran has not ‘at this stage'” any ‘plans for the next round of negotiations and no decision has been made on this matter,'” Iranian Foreign Minister Esmaïl Baghaï replied on Monday. This was after Donald Trump had announced the dispatch of a delegation to Islamabad to try to revive peace talks.
The Iranian official also stated that the US seizure of a cargo, their naval blockade of Iranian ports, and delays in implementing the ceasefire in Lebanon constitute as many ‘clear violations of the ceasefire.'” In response to the continuation of American punitive measures, Iran announced on Saturday that it would resume “strict control” of the strait, reversing its decision to reopen it.
According to several local media outlets, a lifting of the naval blockade imposed by the US is now a prerequisite for new discussions with Washington.
In essence, “everyone is blockading different places, the Iranians in the bend of the strait, the US in the Gulf of Oman at the exit,” summarized researcher Pierre Razoux to AFP, stating “we are probably not heading towards a quick agreement.”
