Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi said Friday that reopening the Strait of Hormuz does not mean it is fully open — only that it is less closed than before. The remark indicates Tehran continues to qualify commitments under the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding regarding the strategic waterway.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi said on Friday afternoon that reopening the Strait of Hormuz does not mean it is fully operational — only that it is 'less closed than before.' The remark, reported by Iranian media, adds to a pattern of Iranian officials qualifying the scope of the strait's reopening under the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding signed last week.
As The Zioneer previously reported, Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf said on June 17 that the strait would not return to its pre-war condition, and Iran's Tasnim news agency called on the foreign ministry to close the strait entirely over Israel's presence in Lebanon. The new statement from a deputy foreign minister continues that line, emphasizing that Tehran retains leverage over the chokepoint despite the agreement.
The remark comes days after the MOU was signed, under which the Strait of Hormuz reopening was set to begin. The current status of shipping through the strait remains unclear, and the statement does not specify a timeline or conditions for a full reopening.
- DevelopingIranian FM: Strait of Hormuz is not international waters, but a shared maritime route with Oman
- StrongIranian source: Strait of Hormuz reopening to begin Friday after MoU signing
- StrongIran says final agreement talks to start in coming days, Hormuz closure denied
- DevelopingSenior US official: Strait of Hormuz to reopen 'with no tolls' under framework deal with Iran
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