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Iran warns oil tankers in Strait of Hormuz to use approved routes
AP News • • world
Key Points:
- Iran’s joint military command warned that all oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz must follow Iran-approved routes or face a “forceful response,” escalating tensions over this key energy corridor.
- The statement came amid ongoing diplomatic talks in Qatar aimed at ending the Iran war and followed a U.S.-led meeting emphasizing the free flow of commerce through the strait, which Iran viewed as provocative.
- Iran condemned the presence of U.S. fighter jets over the strait, calling it a threat to regional security and warned that any U.S. interference would be met with a rapid and decisive reaction.
- Tehran insists on controlling tanker routes and plans to charge fees for passage, challenging the longstanding practice of free navigation in the waterway.
- The warning coincides with preparations for the funeral of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed earlier in the conflict.
