Bangladesh has been named among several “friendly nations” whose vessels may be allowed safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, as Iran said the crucial maritime route remains partially open despite the ongoing Middle East conflict.
In a notable diplomatic development, Iran has indicated that ships linked to a number of countries including Bangladesh can still transit the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz under coordinated arrangements.
The narrow waterway, which carries around one-fifth of the world’s oil shipments, has been under tight Iranian control since the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran last month.
Speaking to Iranian State TV, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected claims that the strait has been completely closed, saying controlled passage continues.
“Many of the shipowners, or the countries that own these vessels, have contacted us and requested that we ensure their safe passage through the strait. For some of these countries that we consider friendly, or in cases where we have decided to do so for other reasons, our armed forces have provided safe passage,” Araghchi said, according to a report by Reuters.
“You have seen on the news: China, Russia, Pakistan, Iraq, and India. Two of its ships passed through a few nights ago, and some other countries, and even Bangladesh, I believe. These are countries that spoke with us and coordinated with us, and this will continue in the future as well, even after the war,” he added.
Araghchi also indicated that vessels linked to countries seen as adversaries or those involved in the ongoing conflict would not be allowed passage.
“We are in a state of war. The region is a war zone, and there is no reason to allow the ships of our enemies and their allies to pass through. But it remains open to others,” he said on Wednesday.
Shipping through the route has dropped sharply amid the conflict.
Following US and Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory actions, access to the strait has been significantly restricted.
The channel, which usually handles around 120 vessels daily, has seen traffic plunge by about 95 per cent in March, according to shipping data, with only a handful of crossings recorded in recent days.
Source: With inputs from NDTV