Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: In a major diplomatic move, Iran has said the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz will remain open for vessels of India and five other “friendly” nations for safe passage, amid the escalating conflict in West Asia (Middle East), the media reported on Thursday.
The crucial waterway, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of the world’s oil and gas is normally shipped, has been under an Iranian chokehold since the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28.
Talking to Iranian State TV, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi clarified that the Strait, contrary to the Western media claims, is not completely closed.
“Many of the shipowners, or the countries that own these vessels, have contacted us and requested that we ensure their safe passage through the Strait. For some of these countries that we consider friendly, or in cases where we have decided to do so for other reasons, our armed forces have provided safe passage,” he was quoted as saying.
“You have seen on the news: China, Russia, Pakistan, Iraq, and India. Two of its ships passed through a few nights ago, and some other countries, and even Bangladesh, I believe. These are countries that spoke with us and coordinated with us, and this will continue in the future as well, even after the war,” he added.
“No Entry For Enemies”
Araghchi also indicated that vessels linked to countries seen as adversaries or those involved in the ongoing conflict would not be allowed passage. He said ships from the United States, Israel and certain Gulf nations playing a role in the current crisis would not be given clearance to transit through the strait.
“We are in a state of war. The region is a war zone, and there is no reason to allow the ships of our enemies and their allies to pass through. But it remains open to others,” he said on Wednesday.
Earlier this week, Iran stopped a Pakistan-bound container ship from crossing the Strait of Hormuz. The vessel, SELEN, sailing from the United Arab Emirates’ Sharjah anchorage toward Karachi, was forced to reverse course at the entrance to the narrow waterway due to the absence of transit authorization, according to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Iran maintains its chokehold on the Strait through drone and missile attacks on shipping. With the conduit for some 20 percent of energy effectively closed, fuel shortages have affected many countries, and businesses from airlines to supermarkets and used car dealers are grappling with challenges including rising costs, weakening demand and disrupted supply chains.
Shipping Down
The war prompted Tehran to retaliate with missile and drone strikes across the region and sharply restrict access to the strait. This led to a 95 percent drop in daily shipping of energy through the Strait of Hormuz.
The channel typically sees around 130 daily transits, according to shipping industry intelligence site Lloyd’s List. However, from March 1 to 25, commodities carriers made just 155 crossings, according to analytics firm Kpler — a decrease of 95 percent.
Of these, 99 were by oil tankers and gas carriers, and most were traveling east out of the Strait. Just two vessels were detected crossing the strait on Wednesday, both heading west.
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