Strait of Hormuz closed only to US and Israeli ships’: Iranian FM Abbas Araghchi on key oil route

Amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday said that vessels from all countries, except its “enemies”— the United States and Israel—would be allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow sea lane between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. The statement came less than a day after the US carried out strikes on military targets on Iran’s oil-critical Kharg Island.

The West Asia conflict began after the US and Israel launched a major military attack on Iran on February 28, killing 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Iran, in retaliation, attacked several Gulf nations hosting American military bases, impacting global aviation operations, oil prices, and triggering a looming energy crisis