Iran Insists on Right to Control Shipping in Strait of Hormuz After Ship Hit Near Oman

Iran Reasserts Position on Shipping Rules in Strait of Hormuz After Vessel Incident Near Oman

Iran stated on Friday that it holds authority over shipping arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz and cautioned Gulf states against aligning with the United States, one day after a vessel was struck by an unidentified object near Oman. The incident occurred amid an interim agreement aimed at halting hostilities that began following U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28.

Tehran responded to a joint statement issued by the United States and six Gulf states that rejected Iranian proposals to impose transit fees on vessels passing through the strait. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi wrote on X that safe passage cannot be assured without arrangements that incorporate Iran's status as a coastal state.

Oil prices declined on Friday amid differing readings of the interim agreement reached the previous week and reduced vessel traffic in the strait, a route that normally carries one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies. Saudi Aramco restarted crude loadings at its Ras Tanura terminal after a nearly four-month suspension, according to shipping data.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, concluding a regional tour, told reporters on Thursday that any Iranian threat or blockage of vessels in the strait would create difficulties. The joint statement with the Gulf Cooperation Council called for unrestricted navigation without fees or assertions of control and stated that a durable settlement must address Iranian ballistic missiles, drones, and ties to armed groups.

Iran's foreign ministry replied that the U.S. military presence in the Gulf contributes to regional tensions and that the strait should be administered by Iran and Oman consistent with the interim agreement. It warned against continued external involvement in regional affairs.

Iran assumed operational oversight of the waterway after the Feb. 28 strikes initiated the conflict, which interrupted oil movements and affected energy markets. Taiwan's Evergreen Marine reported that its Singapore-flagged vessel Ever Lovely was struck by an unknown object on Thursday while following a route advised by the British navy agency UKMTO. No injuries occurred, and the ship continued its transit.

Two U.S. officials stated to Reuters that Iran had fired on the vessel. Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority, created to handle transit requests, said that use of routes not authorized by Tehran would fall under the responsibility of the vessel's owner, operator, and commander. The U.S. government offered no immediate public response. President Donald Trump had stated earlier in June that failure by Iran to implement the interim deal, including reopening the strait, would likely lead to renewed U.S. strikes.

Disagreements remain over additional elements of the framework agreement, including financial provisions for Iran, nuclear verification procedures, and Israel's separate operations in Lebanon. The deal established a 60-day period for negotiations on further issues, including Iran's nuclear program.

The conflict has influenced domestic political considerations in the United States ahead of November midterm elections. The International Maritime Organization suspended its vessel escort operations in the strait following the incident near Oman. Earlier in the week, the IMO and Oman had introduced a southern transit route to move ships that had been delayed, a measure that drew objections from Tehran.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said three South Korean vessels would depart the strait over the weekend after the Oceans Ministry recorded eight additional South Korean ships exiting the area. Shipping data showed two Very Large Crude Carriers operated by Saudi Arabia's Bahri loading at Ras Tanura, with a third positioned nearby. Each carrier can carry approximately 2 million barrels. Ras Tanura, located on Saudi Arabia's eastern Gulf coast west of the strait, previously exported more than 5 million barrels per day before the conflict began.