Iran Announces Alternative Routes in Strait of Hormuz, Links Reopening to End of Hostilities

Adham mohamed3 hours ago

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Council (IRGC) announced on Thursday the designation of alternative shipping routes for vessels traveling through the Strait of Hormuz, citing the risk of sea mines in the main zone of the vital waterway.

This move comes as uncertainty hangs over a shaky two-week ceasefire, with Iran declaring the closure of the Strait again on Wednesday in response to the massive bombardment of Lebanon that killed at least 200 people, an action Tehran views as a grave violation of the truce.

Semiofficial news agencies in Iran released charts suggesting that the IRGC had placed sea mines within the Strait during the conflict.

Consequently, the IRGC notified all ships intending to transit the area to comply with specific instructions for alternative entry and exit routes to ensure maritime safety and avoid potential collisions.

The current situation reflects the vast differences in how Washington and Tehran interpret the initial terms of the ceasefire. While Iran asserts it gained the right to control the Strait and charge tolls, the U.S.

administration maintains the deal required the immediate reopening of the waterway and the handover of Iran’s uranium stockpile.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh emphasized that Tehran remains committed to international maritime norms but insisted that safe passage is strictly contingent on the United States ending its aggression in the Middle East and Israel halting its attacks on Lebanon.

Khatibzadeh stated that Iran sent a crystal-clear message to the Oval Office: security for passage will only be provided once the underlying military aggression is withdrawn.