Iran’s primary diplomat, Abbas Araghchi, stated on Sunday that efforts to circumvent established Strait of Hormuz protocols agreed upon with the United States will inevitably heighten regional instability. As Tehran and Washington trade blame over recurring breaches of a delicate ceasefire, Araghchi used a Baghdad press conference to caution against adopting unauthorized maritime routes.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps recently voiced opposition to a new corridor introduced by Oman and the International Maritime Organization, asserting that Iran was excluded from the decision-making process. Consequently, Araghchi emphasized that deviating from existing memorandums of understanding complicates the waterway’s reopening and invites further aggression.
This rhetoric follows military escalations where U.S. forces targeted Iranian sites after a maritime attack, leading to retaliatory Iranian strikes on U.S. bases. These hostilities jeopardize ongoing negotiations intended to conclude the conflict that began on February 28 between Iran and a U.S.-Israeli coalition. Araghchi urged a shift toward a regional security framework devoid of non-regional interference, while welcoming Iraq’s initiative to host multilateral talks among Gulf states and Iran.
