Iran has circulated a letter to member countries of the International Maritime Organization saying “non-hostile vessels” can transit the Strait of Hormuz “in co-ordination with Iranian authorities”.
In the letter circulated among IMO members on Tuesday and shared with the Financial Times, Iran’s foreign ministry said Tehran had “taken necessary and proportionate measures to prevent the aggressors and their supporters from exploiting the Strait of Hormuz to advance hostile operations against Iran”.
The critical waterway has been in effect closed to all but a handful of ships since the start of the US-Israel war against Iran on February 28. Previously about a fifth of the world’s oil passed through the strait, as well as the majority of cargo and container ships serving Gulf countries.