A senior Iranian diplomat cautioned that the Strait of Hormuz should not be used as a stage for military demonstrations by outside powers. Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, Kazem Gharibabadi, emphasized Iran’s and Oman’s exclusive responsibility for the strait’s security, rebuffing a joint statement by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron. Starmer and Macron highlighted the strait’s significance as a crucial route for the global economy and expressed readiness to deploy a Multinational Military Mission to ensure safe navigation.
Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency, referencing recent maritime tracking data, revealed that eight vessels attempting to traverse the strait near Oman were forced to turn back. Bloomberg reported that some vessels reached the Musandam Peninsula before being redirected by Iran, with specific ships changing course as instructed. Iran has enforced stricter control over the strait since February 28, following actions by Israel and the United States that led to the denial of passage for their vessels.
