Baghaei: US-proposed Hormuz route posed security threat to Iran

Tehran has said that a shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz proposed by the United States posed a threat to Iran's national security, according to Report, which cites Tasnim.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said negotiations between Iran and Oman are aimed at reaching an agreement on safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. He said the sides have already exchanged proposals and held detailed discussions on further steps.

Baghaei stated that, under the June 18 memorandum between Tehran and Washington on ending the war, Iran was expected to restore shipping activity in the Strait of Hormuz to pre-war levels within 30 days.

"We were given 30 days to restore the volume of maritime traffic to the pre-war level. We fulfilled our commitments in good faith, but the United States did not even allow those 30 days to expire and, under the pretext of an attack on several vessels, launched large-scale strikes (against Iran - ed.), violating all agreements and reimposing a maritime blockade," he said.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that after this, the United States unilaterally declared its commitments invalid, leading to further escalation.

"According to the agreements reached, ships were supposed to pass through a safe route in Iranian waters. However, the very next day after the US Secretary of State's visit to the region, we faced unilateral attempts by Washington to open a southern route through Omani waters, which contradicted the memorandum of understanding and posed a threat to Iran's national security," Baghaei stressed.

He also noted that the negotiation process with Oman is developing "in a positive direction."

"The sides exchanged their proposals ('road maps') and discussed them in detail. We hope that both regional countries and countries beyond the region will properly assess Iran's responsible approach and maintain a constructive position that contributes to advancing this process," the Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson said.