By Monsurat Abisoye
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, has warned that any attempt to use shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz that have not been approved by Tehran could heighten tensions in the Middle East and delay the reopening of the strategic waterway.
Speaking during a visit to Baghdad on Sunday, Araghchi said introducing alternative arrangements outside those agreed by Iran would further complicate the situation. His remarks came after tracking platforms showed vessels continuing to use a non-Iranian-approved passage through the Strait.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Friday that Oman and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) announced the new shipping corridor without consulting Tehran and cautioned vessels against using it.
The warning followed fresh US military strikes on multiple targets in Iran on Saturday. Washington said the attacks were carried out in response to a new Iranian attack on a vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
The latest clashes have further strained efforts to uphold a fragile ceasefire and the memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran on 28 February.
Araghchi urged all parties to adhere to the agreement and called for a new regional security framework involving Iran, Iraq, and the Gulf states, without the involvement of outside powers.
He also welcomed Iraq’s proposal to convene a meeting involving Gulf countries, Iran, and Iraq, noting that Baghdad had been drawn into the conflict from its outset.
Meanwhile, Iraq is expected to hold funeral processions on 8 July for Iran’s late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was reportedly killed during US and Israeli attacks on the first day of the war.