European countries are quietly negotiating with Iran on the passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz. They are trying to adapt to the new Iranian rules and avoid the blockade.
Iranian state TV reported on Saturday that European nations were in communication with Tehran about shipping in the Strait of Hormuz in an attempt to gain permission for passage. TASR informs about it according to the report of the AFP agency.
- European countries are negotiating with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards about permits for the passage of ships.
- The Strait of Hormuz is largely closed in response to the attacks.
- The United States imposed a blockade on Iranian ports after the outbreak of war.
- Iran has allowed dozens of ships to pass after adopting its own control protocols.
- Iran is preparing a control mechanism for the strait, only cooperating commercial vessels will benefit.
“After ships from East Asia, especially China and Japan, passed (through the strait), we received information today indicating that the Europeans have also started negotiations with the Revolutionary Guards Navy (IRGC)” to get permission to pass, the television said.
Blockade of the Strait of Hormuz
Tehran has largely closed the Strait of Hormuz following the February 28 US and Israeli attacks that started the war in the Middle East. The United States later also imposed a blockade on Iranian ports.
In recent days, Iran has allowed the passage of dozens of ships “after an agreement on Iranian control protocols”, the Revolutionary Guards said in a statement. The country has declared since the start of the war that shipping in the strait would “not return to pre-war conditions”, and last month it announced that it had also received the first revenue from tolls it had introduced on the waterway.
Strict conditions for vessels
The chairman of the National Security Committee of the Iranian Parliament, Ebrahim Azizi, announced on Saturday that Iran had “already prepared a professional mechanism to control traffic” through the strait, adding that the authorities would “present it soon”.
“Only commercial vessels and parties that cooperate with Iran will benefit from this,” Aziz said, hinting that the country would charge fees for some services. The route will remain closed for those who are part of the so-called of the “freedom project”, which, according to AFP, referred to the US operation aimed at ensuring the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
