Kamal Ghorui
Iran on Sunday said the Strait of Hormuz remains open to all shipping except that of its “enemies” – a reference to the United States and Israel—amid a 48-hour “ultimatum” from US President Donald Trump to “fully open” the crucial waterway, which carries about 20% of the global crude oil supply.Also Read | Iran reacts to Trump’s Hormuz warning, threatens US infrastructure in Middle East if energy sites attacked“We are ready to cooperate with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to enhance maritime safety and protect seafarers in the Gulf. Ships not linked to Iran’s ‘enemies’ can transit the strait by coordinating security and safety arrangements with Tehran,” Reuters quoted Ali Mousavi, Iran’s permanent representative to the IMO, the UN’s maritime agency, as saying.Mousavi, who also serves as the Islamic Republic’s envoy to the United Kingdom, called for a complete end to the ongoing hostilities and urged all sides to build “mutual trust and confidence.”Also Read: Strait of Hormuz on edge as Saudi Arabia opens King Fahd Air Base to US forces amid Iran tensions “Diplomacy remains Iran’s priority. However, a complete cessation of aggression, along with the rebuilding of mutual trust and confidence, is essential. The Israeli and US attacks against Iran are at the root of the current situation in the Strait of Hormuz,” he added.Tehran has effectively disrupted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for the February 28 joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran that triggered the conflict. It has also launched attacks on Israeli territory and targeted Gulf states hosting US military bases.Also Read: Over 20 nations issue joint statement condemning Iran’s de facto closure of Hormuz StraitMeanwhile, Trump has repeatedly urged allied countries to deploy their navies to escort vessels through the Strait, but his calls have largely been rebuffed.“If Iran doesn’t fully open, without threat, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 hours from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various power plants, starting with the biggest one first!” he declared in a social media post.
