Tehran granted permission to certain Iraqi oil tankers to pass through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, following repeated requests from Baghdad, as reported by state media on Saturday.
“Despite the extremely harsh military actions and the insecurity prevailing in the strait due to hostile actions by the United States, Tehran has granted permission to certain Iraqi oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz over the past six months,” the IRNA news agency reported.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
According to the report, Iraq had requested permission for its oil tankers to pass through via various channels, including during the visit to Iraq by Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of the Iranian Parliament and chief negotiator in talks with the U.S.
SEE ALSO: U.S.-Canada: Talks Collapse, Trade War Escalates
Iran has asserted control over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane, since the start of the war in the Middle East on February 28, requiring ships to obtain permits and pay transit fees before using the waterway.
However, U.S. President Donald Trump claims that Washington “has complete control” over the strait, through which approximately one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports passed before the war, and considers it “U.S. territory.”
“The experience of the past six months has shown that Iraq has no alternative to the Strait of Hormuz for exporting most of its crude oil,” IRNA reported.
It added that Iraqi officials are constantly asking Iranian authorities to grant more permits to their tankers.
Iran and Oman are in negotiations to establish a new route through the straits, which control access to the Gulf and separate the two countries, but the negotiations have not yet been finalized.
Tehran, however, states that even if the negotiations result in a new route, this alone will not open the sea lane unless the U.S. meets Iran’s broader demands.
SOURCE: KYPE
