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Iran says the Strait of Hormuz is closed to all traffic due to US violations of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). President Donald Trump asserted that the waterway was open to commercial shipping.
“Due to recent unlawful movements by United States military forces in the region, transit through the Strait of Hormuz is currently not possible,” Tehran said on Sunday. “As soon as stability and calm are restored, all requests will be reviewed according to scheduling and the necessary permits will be issued.”
When asked if the Strait of Hormuz was open by NBC News on Sunday, Trump responded, “Yeah, it’s open. We bombed the hell out of them last night.”
Last month, the US and Iran signed an MOU that reopened the Strait of Hormuz. While the MOU forbids Tehran from imposing shipping fees for 60 days, it gave Iran control over vessels transiting the crucial waterway.
The Strait of Hormuz has become a major issue for ending the war against Iran. Before the war, the Strait was treated as an international waterway. During the conflict, Iran seized control of the waterway. Tehran says the waterway is jointly Iranian and Omani territory, and plans to charge fees for ships transiting the Strait. Washington is demanding that Tehran allow the Strait to return to its pre-war status.
Last week, the US attempted to open a new shipping lane through the Strait outside of Iran’s control. Iran responded by firing at several vessels, leading the US to strike several Iranian sites. Iranian forces responded by attacking several US bases in the region and closing the Strait.
About a fifth of the world’s oil must cross the Strait of Hormuz to reach the global market.
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