Iran says Hormuz open to all but ‘enemy-linked’ ships

DUBAI, March 22 (Reuters) - ‌The Strait ​of ​Hormuz remains open to all shipping except vessels linked to "Iran's enemies", Iranian media reports ‌published on Sunday quoted Iran's representative to the ⁠U.N. maritime agency as saying.

Ali Mousavi's comments came from an ‌interview published on Friday ‌by Chinese news agency Xinhua, before U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to target Iranian power plants ​if the strait was not "fully open" within 48 hours.

The threat of Iranian attacks during the U.S.-Israeli ⁠war on Iran has kept most ships from getting through the ​narrow strait, the conduit for around a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas ​supplies, threatening a global energy ‌shock.

Mousavi, who is also Iran's ambassador to the UK, was also quoted as ⁠saying that Tehran would continue to cooperate with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to improve maritime safety and protect ⁠seafarers in the Gulf, adding that ships not belonging to "Iran's ​enemies" could pass the strait by coordinating security and safety arrangements with Tehran.

"Diplomacy remains Iran's priority. However, a complete cessation ‌of aggression as well as mutual trust and confidence are more important," Mousavi ‌said, adding that Israeli and U.S. attacks against Iran ⁠were at the "root ‌of the current situation ​in the Strait of Hormuz".

(Reporting by Dubai Newsroom; Editing by William Mallard and Alexander ‌Smith)

---

Serious News for Serious Traders! Try StreetInsider.com Premium Free!

---

You May Also Be Interested In

• Kremlin says it is acting to minimise impact of Ukrainian strikes on Russian grain exports
• Hungarian Gripen jet crashes, no injuries reported, PM Magyar says
• Swiss industry fears tariff gap to European Union could hurt US exports