Is Strait Of Hormuz Open? Iran Threatens Ships Attempting Transit Without Permission - Report

(MENAFN- Live Mint) After a two-week ceasefire deal was reached between Iran and the US, the Iranian navy told ships anchored near the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday morning that they still required Iran's permission to cross the strait, according to the Wall Street Journal.

“You must receive permission from Iranian Sepah navy for passing through the strait. If any vessel tries to transit without permission, will be destroyed,” the WSJ cited a recording by a crew member.

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The message was reportedly broadcast to vessels via radio.

The Sepah is a special operations unit under the command of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Is Strait of Hormuz open?

Iran's IRGC-affiliated Fars news agency reported that oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz have been stopped after Israel allegedly breached the ceasefire.

Earlier, sources told Reuters that several vessels in the Persian Gulf have received messages claiming to be from Iran's navy saying the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.

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The message said ship owners need to receive permission from Iran to transit and warned that vessels failing to comply would be“targeted and destroyed”, according to the report.

"Any vessel trying to travel into the sea... will be targeted and destroyed..." the message read, as per Reuters.

Ceasefire violation

Israel says the two-week ceasefire does not include Lebanon. However, Iran's Tasnim news agency cited a source as saying that Iran could withdraw from the two-week ceasefire agreement if Israeli attacks on Lebanon continue.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Shari wrote on X that violations of the ceasefire have been reported at a few places across the conflict zone,“which undermine the spirit of peace process.”

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He urged“all parties to exercise restraint and respect the ceasefire for two weeks, as agreed upon, so that diplomacy can take a lead role towards peaceful settlement of the conflict”.

Iran reportedly attacked Saudi Arabia's crucial East-West Pipeline just hours after a ceasefire was agreed to pause the Iran war, sources told Reuters and Financial Times on Wednesday.

“Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline, currently its only outlet for exporting crude oil, was hit in an Iranian attack while other facilities in the kingdom were also targeted,” an industry source told Reuters on Wednesday.

Earlier, Iranian Ambassador to China Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli said that Iran will allow ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz during the two-week ceasefire, but any decision to open the Strait entirely in future will depend on the results of the peace talks with the US, news agency PTI reported.

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Iran is considering transit fees for the Strait of Hormuz, he was quoted as saying.

Iran could reopen the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday or Friday ahead of talks with the United States in Pakistan if a ceasefire framework is agreed, Reuters reported, citing a senior Iranian official.

Iran-US ceasefire deal

President Trump said he had agreed to suspend attacks on Iran for two weeks, subject to a“complete, immediate, and safe” reopening of the strait.

Trump announced on Tuesday:“Based on conversations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, of Pakistan, and wherein they requested that I hold off the destructive force being sent tonight to Iran, and subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks. This will be a double sided CEASEFIRE!."

Also Read | Trump warns of strikes on Iran infrastructure on Tuesday amid Hormuz blockade

In another post on TRUTH Social, Trump said the US“will be helping with the traffic buildup in the Strait of Hormuz."

Iran's government also signaled its intention to continue asserting influence over the waterway.

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the movement of ships through the Strait will be allowed under Iranian military supervision.

"If attacks against Iran are halted, our powerful armed forces will cease their defensive operations," he said.

"For a period of two weeks, safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible via coordination with Iran's Armed Forces and with due consideration of technical limitations," Araghchi said.

Both the US and Iran mentioned Pakistan's role in arriving at the conditional ceasefire.

However, war-planes were still present over the Persian Gulf, according to photos and videos shared by crew members with the WSJ. Most ships aren't moving, the report added.

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