Iran says ‘non-hostile’ ships can pass safely through Strait of Hormuz

Tehran’s statement on opening of key waterway comes as US President Donald Trump says talks are taking place to end the war.

Iran has said that “non-hostile” ships may transit the Strait of Hormuz amid a collapse of maritime traffic through the waterway that has prompted the biggest global energy crisis in decades.

In a statement on Tuesday, Iran’s mission to the United Nations said vessels may avail of “safe passage” through the waterway, “provided that they neither participate in nor support acts of aggression against Iran and fully comply with the declared safety and security regulations.”

Ships will be allowed to transit the strait “in coordination with the competent Iranian authorities”, the statement posted on social media said.

Iran earlier shared a similar statement about the status of the strait with the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the UN body responsible for the safety and security of international shipping.

Tehran did not elaborate in the statements on what regulations vessels need to follow to safely navigate the strait, through which about one-fifth of global supplies of oil and liquified natural gas usually transit.