Iran reasserted its right to control shipping in the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, warning Gulf states against siding with the United States, a day after an attack on a ship near Oman highlighted the fragility of a preliminary deal to end the Iran war. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi stated on X that safe passage through the strait cannot be guaranteed under ambiguous arrangements that do not take Iran's role as a coastal state into account.
Iran's Response to US-Gulf Statement
Tehran was responding to a joint statement by the US and six Gulf states that rejected Iran's insistence on charging tolls for vessels transiting the strait. Iran's foreign ministry said the US military presence in the Gulf was the source of regional insecurity and division, and that the strait should be governed by Tehran and Oman in line with the interim deal. "We warn against the continuation of hostile and interventionist policies in the region," the ministry said.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, wrapping up a Gulf tour to reassure allies about the interim pact, warned that if Iran threatened or blocked ships in the strait, "we're going to have a problem." The joint statement by Rubio and the Gulf Cooperation Council called for free, unconditional, and unrestricted navigation without tolls or attempts to assert control, and said a lasting peace must address Iran's ballistic missiles, drones, and support for proxy groups.
Ship Attack Near Oman
Taiwan's Evergreen Marine reported that its Singapore-flagged ship Ever Lovely was hit near Oman on Thursday by an unknown object while on a route recommended by the British navy agency UKMTO. No one was hurt, and the ship resumed its journey out of the strait. Two US officials told Reuters that Iran had fired on the ship, while Iran's Arabian Gulf Strait Authority said passage through unauthorized routes would be the responsibility of the owner, operator, and vessel commander.
US President Donald Trump warned earlier this month that if Iran did not honor the interim deal, including reopening the strait, the US would likely resume bombing the country. The International Maritime Organization temporarily paused its operation to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz after the incident. The IMO and Oman had earlier announced a new southern route to evacuate hundreds of stranded ships, angering Tehran.
Oil Prices and Shipping Impact
Oil prices dipped further on Friday despite conflicting interpretations of the interim deal and a slowdown in traffic through the strait, where a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies typically pass. Saudi Aramco resumed crude loadings at its Ras Tanura terminal in the Gulf, the world's biggest oil port, after a nearly four-month halt, shipping data showed. Two Very Large Crude Carriers controlled by Saudi Arabia's shipping arm Bahri were seen loading crude at Ras Tanura, each capable of carrying 2 million barrels of oil. Ras Tanura, on Saudi Arabia's eastern coast west of the Strait of Hormuz, used to export more than 5 million barrels per day before the conflict.
South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung said three South Korean ships would leave the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend after the Oceans Ministry reported eight more vessels had exited.
Broader Contentions in the Deal
Alongside the strait control issue, disagreements persist over other elements of the framework ceasefire deal, including financial incentives for Iran, nuclear inspections, and Israel's parallel war in Lebanon. The deal set up 60 days of talks to tackle thornier issues, including Iran's nuclear program. In the United States, the war is weighing heavily on Trump ahead of November midterm elections that will determine control of Congress.
