Iran Discourages Ships From Using Alternative Strait of Hormuz Route Along Oman’s Coast

Iran warned on Sunday that ships should not use an alternative route through the Strait of Hormuz, saying any move away from the transit corridor it has set would increase tensions and delay the full reopening of one of the world’s most important shipping lanes.

The warning came as the United States and Iran exchanged fresh military strikes, adding to uncertainty in the Gulf despite a Pakistan-brokered memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the war launched by the United States and Israel in February.

The conflict disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and shook global oil and energy markets before a ceasefire came into effect in April.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said any attempt to introduce shipping arrangements different from those put in place by Iran would make the situation more complicated and increase tensions.

“I urge all parties… to adhere to the memorandum of understanding and not to allow this MoU to deviate from its course,” Araghchi said.

The warning follows Oman’s announcement this week of an alternative shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz along the Omani coastline. Muscat said the route was developed together with the International Maritime Organization.

Iran currently requires ships passing through the strait to use a corridor close to its own coast. However, dozens of vessels have travelled this week along the opposite side of the waterway near Oman.

The Strait of Hormuz carries about one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas during normal times. It lies within both Iranian and Omani territorial waters, but under customary international law, neither country can generally block ships from passing through or charge transit fees.

During the war, Iran stopped most ships from using the strait, giving it significant influence over one of the world’s busiest maritime trade routes. Although a ceasefire began in April, occasional military exchanges have continued, with shipping in the Gulf often at the centre of tensions.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they were taking steps to control traffic through the strait and warned that ships violating those measures would face stronger action than before.

Mohammad Mokhber, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, wrote on X that as long as Iran controlled the strait, Washington’s “hegemonic dreams in the region will not be realised.”

The latest dispute over shipping routes came as both countries carried out new military strikes.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said it struck 10 Iranian military targets on Sunday over what it called continued Iranian aggression against commercial shipping.

U.S. President Donald Trump later said American aircraft had hit Iranian missile and drone storage sites and coastal radar positions after Iran violated the ceasefire agreement again.

According to CENTCOM, the strikes followed an Iranian drone attack on the Panama-flagged oil tanker Kiku. The United States had also carried out similar strikes on Friday.

Iran said it responded by launching retaliatory strikes against U.S. bases in Kuwait and Bahrain. Both countries condemned the attacks.

The memorandum of understanding signed earlier this month says the United States, Iran and their allies will not start military operations against each other or threaten the use of force. It also allows commercial vessels to pass safely between the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman without charges for 60 days.

The published text of the agreement also says Iran will decide the future administration of the Strait of Hormuz through talks with Oman and other Gulf states, in line with international law.

Despite the agreement, both Washington and Tehran have accused each other of breaking the ceasefire.

Trump said on Saturday that Iran would “no longer exist” if the United States was forced to restart the war.

Analysts believe more incidents could occur in the Strait of Hormuz.

HA Hellyer of the Royal United Services Institute said a long negotiation combined with controlled pressure in the strait could work in Iran’s favour.

Tensions also remained high in Lebanon.

Israel carried out strikes in Lebanon after Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem rejected an agreement aimed at ending the conflict. Iran called the Israeli strikes “a blatant violation” of the truce.

Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah warned of possible internal conflict in Lebanon over the country’s agreement with Israel and said he did not expect the deal to be implemented. The agreement includes plans to disarm the Iran-backed Hezbollah group.

Lebanon became involved in the regional conflict in early March after Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel in support of Iran, prompting Israeli air strikes and a ground invasion.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon remained “an essential condition for reaching a final and lasting agreement” to bring security to the region.

Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf also said Tehran was “seriously pursuing” the issue of ending what it called the Israeli occupation in Lebanon during a call with Lebanese parliament speaker Nabih Berri.

On Sunday, Lebanese state media reported another Israeli strike in southern Lebanon, while the Israeli military said one of its soldiers had been killed in fighting there.

Separately, Qatar’s interior ministry said one of its citizens was killed after shrapnel from military operations hit a boat in the area. The man’s body was found on Sunday after the vessel failed to return to port the previous day.

References: Economic Times, The Hindu