LONDON, March 31. /TASS/. The Trump administration has proposed transferring control of the Strait of Hormuz to a multinational consortium, The Daily Telegraph reported citing diplomatic sources.

According to them, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio presented the initiative at a meeting of G7 foreign ministers. He noted that circulation in the Strait of Hormuz should be free and carried out without fees. An alternative plan involving Pakistan, Egypt, Turkey and Saudi Arabia is also under discussion, envisaging the introduction of transit tolls similar to those charged in the Suez Canal.

On February 28, the United States and Israel launched a military operation against Iran, striking major cities, including Tehran. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a large-scale retaliatory operation targeting Israel. US military facilities in Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE and Saudi Arabia were also hit.

Iranian authorities also decided to close the Strait of Hormuz to vessels associated with the US, Israel and countries supporting the aggression against the Islamic Republic. During the conflict, several tankers were attacked for passing through the strait without Tehran’s permission. On March 25, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Iran had allowed passage through the Strait of Hormuz for friendly countries, including Russia, India, Iraq, China and Pakistan.