Iran reasserts its right to control shipping in Strait of Hormuz after ship hit near Oman

Iran on Friday reasserted its authority over shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, warning regional states against aligning with the United States. This declaration came a day after an attack on a ship near Oman underscored the precariousness of a preliminary deal aimed at ending the Iran war.

Tehran's response targeted a "interventionist, irresponsible and provocative" joint statement from the US and six Gulf states. These nations rejected Iran's assertion of its right to impose tolls on vessels transiting the vital waterway. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi stated, "Safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz cannot be guaranteed under ambiguous arrangements, parallel routes or decision-making that does not take Iran’s role as a coastal state into account."

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Safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz cannot be guaranteed under ambiguous arrangements, parallel routes or decision-making that does not take Iran’s role as a coastal state into account.

Adding to the maritime risks, Iranian state television reported that three foreign tankers attempting an "unauthorised passage" were turned back by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Meanwhile, oil prices fell over 3 percent, heading for significant weekly losses despite differing interpretations of the interim deal between Iran and the US. The Strait of Hormuz, where a fifth of global oil and LNG supplies typically pass, has seen a slowdown in traffic.

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if Iran threatened or blocked ships in the strait, “we’re going to have a problem.”

Saudi Aramco resumed crude loadings at its Ras Tanura terminal, the world's largest oil port, on Friday after a nearly four-month hiatus. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, concluding a Gulf tour to reassure allies about the interim pact, warned that any Iranian threat or blockage of ships would lead to "a problem."

In their joint statement, Rubio and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) advocated for "free, unconditional, and unrestricted navigation" without tolls or assertions of control. They also stated that a lasting peace must address Iran's missile and drone programs and its support for proxy groups. Iran's foreign ministry countered that the US military presence in the Gulf fuels insecurity and division, and that the strait should be managed by Iran and Oman according to the interim deal's terms. Ali Akbar Velayati, a top adviser to Iran's supreme leader, warned Gulf Arab states that their stability depends on Iran's "century-long management" of the Strait of Hormuz.

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The stability of the Persian Gulf Arab states is indebted to Iran’s century-long management of the Strait of Hormuz... their strategic survival is at the mercy of Tehran’s tolerance.