Iran's Firm Stand on Strait of Hormuz: 'Never' Relinquishing Control
Senior Iranian lawmaker Ebrahim Azizi asserts Iran's commitment to controlling the Strait of Hormuz...
Never. That's when a senior Iranian lawmaker says they'll be ready to give up their control of the Strait of Hormuz.
It's our inalienable right, Ebrahim Azizi, a former commander in Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), tells the BBC in Tehran. Iran will decide the right of passage, including permissions for vessels to pass through the Strait.
And he says that's about to become enshrined in law.
We are introducing a bill in parliament, based on article 110 of the constitution, which includes the environment, maritime safety and national security - and the armed forces will implement the law, says Azizi, who heads the Committee for National Security and Foreign Policy.
As worry mounts about the closure of this strategic waterway causing growing economic shocks worldwide, it's becoming clear this is not a short-term crisis to be resolved in a day.
War has handed Tehran what it sees as a new weapon - Azizi described this highly strategic strait Iran has managed to weaponize during this conflict as one of our assets to face the enemy.
He's a key player in a parliament dominated by hardliners. Azizi also reflects the thinking among some of the senior decision-makers emerging in the new order born of this war, which has become increasingly militarized and also dominated by hardliners, most of all the IRGC.
Tehran now sees its ability to control the passage of vital maritime traffic, including critical oil and gas tankers, not just as a bargaining chip in current negotiations, but as long-term leverage.
The first priority for Iran after the war is to restore deterrence and the Strait of Hormuz is among Iran's principal strategic leverages, explains Mohammad Eslami, a research fellow at the University of Tehran.
Azizi's vision for the strait has encountered resistance from neighboring countries, particularly critical of Iran's aggressive posturing and recent war tactics. Diplomatic tensions have risen, reflecting the complexities of regional security dynamics.
Dr. Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE's president, warns that Iran's refusal to relinquish control over the strait sets a dangerous precedent for international maritime norms.
The Iranian military echoes a unified front, dismissing any internal dissent while emphasizing that control over the Strait of Hormuz is non-negotiable.
This unfolding narrative highlights the interplay of regional power, strategic maritime interests, and the evolving geopolitical landscape as Iran solidifies its position on one of the world's most critical waterways.
