Tehran Pledges Safe Hormuz Navigation
Iran’s Mine Clearance in Strait of Hormuz Expected to Be Completed Within 30 Days. Picture: Reuters
Iran has pledged to uphold the ceasefire agreement and implement measures related to the Strait of Hormuz if the United States fulfills its commitments under the recently reached understanding, Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations said.
Speaking at the UN Security Council on Thursday, Iran’s Permanent Representative Amir Saeid Iravani said Tehran would make its ‘maximum effort’ to ensure the safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz for 60 days under the agreement.
During that period, Iran will not impose any transit fees on commercial shipping, he said.
Iravani added that the agreement also calls for the removal of military and technical obstacles affecting maritime traffic and the immediate resumption of commercial shipping through the strategic waterway.
He said Iran expects to complete its mine-clearing operations in the Strait of Hormuz within the next 30 days.
Addressing the Security Council, Iravani rejected accusations made by the United States, describing them as baseless.
He said the council should avoid taking any action that could undermine ongoing diplomatic efforts while Pakistan and Qatar continue technical negotiations aimed at implementing the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.
Iravani also accused the US representative of repeating what he called ‘false and misleading information’ about Iran.
He further claimed that while diplomatic negotiations were underway, the United States coordinated with Israel to launch ‘two wars of aggression’ against Iran, describing the actions as violations of the UN Charter and international law.
Meanwhile, Iran’s negotiating team left Qatar on Thursday after Tehran temporarily suspended diplomatic talks ahead of the funeral of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Khamenei was killed in a joint US-Israeli attack in late February.
Source: Middle East Monitor (Adapted)
