Tehran, May 16 A "professional mechanism" will soon be unveiled by Iran to manage traffic in the Strait of Hormuz along a designated route, a senior Iranian lawmaker said Saturday.
Ebrahim Azizi, Chairman of the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, wrote on X that the route will "remain closed" to the operators of the 'Project Freedom'.
"In this process, only commercial vessels and parties cooperating with Iran will benefit from it," he said, adding that a "necessary fees will be collected for the specialised services provided under this mechanism.”
Earlier in May, US President Donald Trump had authorised “Project Freedom” to guide trapped civilian ships to safety after weeks of escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf.
Iran tightened control over the Strait of Hormuz beginning February 28, when it barred passage for vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States after the two countries launched joint strikes on Iranian territory.
The United States has also imposed a naval blockade on the strait, preventing ships from Iranian ports from transiting the waterway. The US military has attacked several Iranian ships and oil tankers over the past few days.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Friday said that the Strait of Hormuz remains open to all vessels, except for those belonging to countries engaged in a conflict with Iran.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Araghchi said that Iran continues to facilitate the passage of vessels, noting that it had already done so for several Indian ships. He said safe passage of all vessels is Iran's policy and interest, and that Tehran is ready to assist those seeking secure transit.
"On the Strait of Hormuz, this is also our wish that it will be fully reopened. As far as we are concerned, the Strait of Hormuz is open, and all vessels can pass, except the vessels of those countries that are fighting with us," Araghchi stated.
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