Iran to block ships outside designated Hormuz lanes, rules out US talks

Iran has declared its intention to block ships that do not adhere to its designated shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz. The country's deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, stated that Iran opposes and will block the passage of vessels using routes not specified by Iran.

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Iran opposes and will block the passage of vessels using routes not specified by Iran.

This assertion is based on Article 5 of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed with the United States, which Iran interprets as granting it exclusive authority over strait management. Iran insists that ships must use its designated routes instead of those favored by the U.S. along the Omani coast.

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If Oman is unwilling to cooperate in establishing a strait management system, Iran will proceed with this task.

Gharibabadi added that Iran would proceed with managing the strait independently if Oman is unwilling to cooperate, though he noted Oman's readiness to do so. Iranian and Omani experts are scheduled to begin discussions on this matter within days.

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There will be no negotiation meetings at any level with the U.S. side in the coming days.

Meanwhile, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Ismail Baghaei, reaffirmed that there are no upcoming negotiation plans with the United States. He emphasized that Iran's current priority is ensuring the implementation of the MOU's provisions and that its demands are being pursued seriously. Baghaei dismissed reports of a U.S. delegation visiting Doha concurrently with Iranian experts, stating the visits were unrelated and that the Iranian delegation's trip was to review the MOU's implementation. He did, however, mention that an Iranian expert delegation would travel to Doha this week to discuss oil sales and the unfreezing of Iranian assets.

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Iran's current priority is ensuring the implementation of the memorandum of understanding's provisions.