Iran says the Strait of Hormuz is a national security priority and may tighten control of the vital oil route as fighting with the US intensifies and last month’s memorandum of understanding comes under strain.
Iran’s hardline-dominated parliament has introduced a plan on managing the Strait of Hormuz, while Iranian officials and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have separately said the waterway is part of Iran’s national security and that any US attack would only delay its reopening. The proposal, unveiled during an unannounced session on Monday night, could formalize tighter Iranian control over the shipping lane that carries about one-fifth of global energy in peacetime. An earlier draft published by state media in May outlined measures including barring US- or Israeli-flagged vessels, requiring permits and cargo disclosures for all ships, imposing fees, and mandating use of the name “Persian Gulf.” An Iranian deputy foreign minister also said Tehran is under no obligation regarding the Islamabad memorandum of understanding signed with the US.