Strait Battle: Iran Shifts Power Balance, Opens Hormuz to China

According to local media on Thursday, Iran has allowed some Chinese vessels to pass through the Strait of Hormuz since Wednesday night under its management procedures.

Recall that Iran tightened its control of the strait on February 28, when it barred ships linked to or owned by the United States and Israel from passing through after joint strikes on Iranian territory.

Meanwhile, a senior official of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy said that 30 ships have crossed the Strait of Hormuz since Wednesday night.

The official further stated that other nations have agreed to use the Iran-designated path to cross the strait.

Seyed Araghchi, Iran’s foreign minister on his part declared on Thursday that all commercial ships could transit through the Strait of Hormuz as long as they cooperated with Iranian navy troops.

He emphasised that the United States had imposed the blockade and that Iran had not presented any barriers to shipping over the strait.

Araghchi also expressed optimism that the US “illegal” blockade would be lifted and the problem would be resolved.

BACKSTORY…

This comes just few weeks after the Iranian Navy said that it had seized two cargo ships attempting to exit the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz.

One of the ships seized is a Panama-flagged vessel named MSC Francesca, and the other is a Greek-flagged vessel named Epaminondas.

Following this, the US has claimed that although it is “not looking for a fight” with Iran over the disputed Strait of Hormuz, it will not back down from any conflict.

Pete Hegseth, the head of the Pentagon, stated on Tuesday, May 5 that there would be a “devastating” reaction to any Iranian attack on ships using the route.