New Delhi:Iran has made it clear that passing through the Strait of Hormuz will no longer be taken for granted. Tehran sent a strong message to the US as tensions rose by saying that all ships passing through the important waterway must follow "designated routes" and get permission from Iran.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the Speaker of Iran's Parliament, strongly criticized US President Donald Trump's recent comments, saying that Washington was spreading false information. Ghalibaf wrote a series of posts on X that said US claims were false and that more pressure on Iran could have serious consequences.
He said that Iran would decide what to do with the Strait based on "real conditions on the ground," not what people said online. He also said that the Strait might not stay open if what he called a "maritime blockade" keeps going.
"1. In one hour, the President of the United States made seven false claims. 2- These lies didn't help them win the war, and they won't help them in negotiations either. He wrote, "3- The Strait of Hormuz will not stay open if the blockade goes on." 4. People will only be able to go through the Strait of Hormuz if they follow the "designated route" and get "Iranian authorization." 5. The field, not social media, will decide if the Strait is open or closed and what rules apply to it. "Media warfare and shaping public opinion are important parts of war, but these tricks don't work on the Iranian people," he said.
"Designated routes and Iranian clearance are required."Ghalibaf said that Iran's position was that only pre-approved routes would be allowed through the Strait of Hormuz, and that Iran would have full control over these routes.
Officials agreed with this view and stressed that ships would need permission to enter the channel. Under certain conditions, civilian ships may be allowed, but military ships may have to follow stricter rules.
Iran says it will take action against those who attack it.Iran has also said that it will respond if the US keeps targeting its ports. Esmaeil Baghaei, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, said that Tehran would take "reciprocal measures" if the situation got worse.
He called Iran the "guardian" of the Strait and said that even though the country may be flexible, it will not give up control.
The IRGC navy sets the rules.The naval branch of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has set strict rules for ships that want to pass through. Officials say that all ships must get permission before they can pass through, and they can only move along routes that Iran has set.
This policy comes after Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said earlier that commercial shipping would stay open during a ceasefire period if everyone worked together.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most important trade routes in the world because it carries almost a fifth of the world's oil and gas. Any change in control or disruption has immediate effects on international markets, raising energy prices and worries about the stability of supply.