Iran Grants Safe Passage Through Strait of Hormuz to Non-Hostile Vessels

Iran has formally informed the United Nations that non-military vessels can transit the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, provided they coordinate their passage with Iranian authorities and are not engaged in hostile acts against the country. The notification was delivered in a diplomatic note from Iran's Foreign Ministry to the UN Security Council and the International Maritime Organization.

The document, addressed to the 15 members of the Security Council and UN Secretary-General António Guterres, was subsequently circulated among the 176 member states of the London-based maritime agency. It outlines specific conditions for safe passage through the chokepoint, which handles roughly one-fifth of global seaborne oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) traffic.

"Non-military vessels, including those belonging to or affiliated with other states, may—provided they are not participating in or supporting acts of aggression against Iran and fully comply with declared security regulations—enjoy safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz in coordination with competent Iranian authorities," stated the note.

Iran asserted that it has taken "necessary and proportionate measures" to prevent aggressors and their supporters from using the strait to conduct hostile operations. However, it explicitly excluded vessels and assets belonging to certain nations from this guarantee.

The note declares that ships, equipment, or any assets owned by the United States or Israel, "as well as other participants in aggression," are not entitled to peaceful or non-hostile passage rights. This declaration comes amid heightened regional tensions that have reportedly caused significant disruptions to shipping traffic through the strait.

The announcement follows recent comments by U.S. President Donald Trump, who suggested that diplomatic negotiations could lead to a reopening of the strait "very soon." Trump later told reporters that his administration was "negotiating with the right people in Iran right now" and claimed victory in what he termed a war against Iran.