Iran claims "non-hostile vessels" can pass through the Strait of Hormuz after coordination with Iran

Odaily According to the Financial Times, Iran has circulated a letter to member states of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), stating that "non-hostile vessels" can pass through the Strait of Hormuz after "coordinating with Iranian authorities." In this letter distributed to IMO member states on Tuesday, the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Iran has "taken necessary and proportionate measures to prevent aggressors and their supporters from using the Strait of Hormuz to advance hostile actions against Iran." Currently, approximately 3,200 vessels are stranded in the Persian Gulf, and since the conflict began, at least 22 ships have been attacked by Iran. The IMO held an emergency meeting of member states last week and is negotiating to establish a humanitarian corridor to allow vessels with severe supply shortages to exit the Persian Gulf. Recent vessel tracking data indicates that Iran is allowing a small number of vessels to pass through a route within its territorial waters. Analysts believe this route allows Iranian authorities to verify the identity of vessels before granting passage.