Gharibabadi: Strait of Hormuz Off-Limits to Foreign Forces

By Staff, Agencies

Iran's head of the technical negotiating delegation, Kazem Gharibabadi, cautioned against any military activity in the Strait of Hormuz, stressing that the strategic waterway “is not a stage for military displays by non-regional powers.”

Gharibabadi said that Iran, as the responsible power and guarantor of security in the Strait, warns against any military movements in the sensitive maritime passage.

He emphasized that responsibility for the security of the Strait of Hormuz rests with the littoral states bordering it, adding that "those who provoke crises will bear the consequences of their adventurism".

On a related note, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf announced on Friday that Iran and Oman have worked out a mechanism to manage navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, making clear that Washington would have no part in it.

The agreement with Muscat, based on Article Five of the Iran-US Memorandum of Understanding [MoU], is now moving into the implementation phase, qalibaf revealed, adding that Tehran would coordinate with other Gulf states bordering the strait as the plan rolls out.

Qalibaf also aimed at the "Israeli" occupation entity, accusing it of trying to torpedo the MoU altogether. Still, he expressed confidence that Iran's regional deterrent posture would be enough to head off another war.

His comments came the same day Iran's acting defense minister, Brigadier General Majid Ebn al-Reza, warned that any breach of the ceasefire would be dealt with immediately.

"Iran trusts its allies," he said, "but not its enemies, and its forces remain ready to act."

"There is no doubt that we will take the appropriate and necessary measures in the event of any violation of the ceasefire provisions," Ebn al-Reza said, warning against any attempt by non-regional powers to exploit the strait.