Tehran, May 31: Despite claims by U.S. President Donald Trump that naval sanctions on Iran have been lifted, Iranian vessels are still facing obstacles in passing through the Hormuz Strait. This information was reported by the semi-official news agency Tasnim.
According to Iranian naval officials, the sanctions remain in effect, and the U.S. Central Command continues to issue warnings against ships entering the area.
On Friday, Trump posted on Truth Social that the U.S. naval blockade “will now be lifted.” In the same post, he outlined conditions for a potential agreement with Iran, stating that Tehran must agree never to acquire nuclear weapons. According to Xinhua News Agency, Trump also insisted that the Hormuz Strait should be “immediately” opened for unrestricted shipping in both directions, and all naval mines should be removed.
Furthermore, Trump mentioned that Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile would be identified and destroyed in coordination with the International Atomic Energy Agency. However, Iran has stated that nuclear issues are not part of the current negotiation process.
Iran’s main military command, Khatam al-Anbia Central Headquarters, announced on Saturday that Iranian armed forces are establishing full control over the Hormuz Strait. This information was provided by the official news agency IRNA.
The headquarters clarified in a statement that all vessels (commercial ships and oil tankers) passing through the waterway must use only routes designated by Iran and must obtain permission from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy.
Meanwhile, according to the semi-official news agency Fars, the IRGC Navy reported that 20 ships crossed the strait in coordination with its forces and Iranian maritime officials over the past 24 hours.
Fars quoted IRGC Navy officials stating that these ships were allowed to pass through the strait due to the demand for essential goods like chemical fertilizers in their respective countries.
It is noteworthy that Iran tightened its control over the Hormuz Strait on February 28 and imposed restrictions on vessels linked to Israel and the U.S. following joint attacks on Iranian territory. On the other hand, the U.S. has maintained its naval restrictions in the strait, affecting the movement of ships to and from Iranian ports.
Leave a Comment