LONDON, March 25. /TASS/. The Strait of Hormuz remains open to navigation, but not to ships from the United States, Israel, or states that Iran considers aggressors, said Iran’s letter to the International Maritime Organization and obtained by TASS.
"The Strait of Hormuz remains open, and maritime traffic has not been suspended. Navigation continues, subject to compliance with the necessary measures referenced above and the realities arising from the ongoing conflict," the document, sent to the organization with headquarters in London on March 22, says.
"Vessels, equipment, and any assets belonging to the aggressor parties — namely, the United States and the Israeli regime — as well as other participants in the aggression, do not qualify for innocent or non-hostile passage," the document reads. "Within the legal framework governing armed conflict, such assets will be addressed in accordance with the decisions and measures adopted by the competent authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran."
The vessels from the countries that Tehran does not consider hostile "benefit from safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz in coordination with the competent Iranian authorities."
The Iranian delegation said that "the full restoration of security and sustainable stability in the Strait is contingent upon the cessation of military aggression and threats, the end of destabilizing actions by the United States and the Israeli regime, and full respect for Iran’s legitimate interests."
On February 28, the United States and Israel launched a military operation against Iran, hitting major Iranian cities, including Tehran. The White House justified the attack with missile and nuclear threats allegedly coming from Tehran. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps retaliated with a sweeping attack on Israel. US facilities in Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia were also attacked. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and some other key Iranian figures were killed.
On March 11, Khatam al-Anbiya, the central headquarters of the Iranian army, said that Iran would not allow any oil cargo related to the United States and its allies to be transported through the Strait of Hormuz. On March 15, Tehran said it would resort to any methods, including controlling the movement of ships in the Strait of Hormuz, to force the enemy to surrender.